Blue: The Damned
by Stuart James
Summary: After thirty years assuming the Reapers had won and scattering the beacons to warn the future, acting Commander of the SSV Normandy SR-2, Lieutenant Commander Ashley Williams and her crew discover all may not have been as it appeared in the Battle for Sol.
1. Chapter 1

-Prologue-

"It's fitting that this is where we install the last beacon." Ashley comments, her hair greyed by time. Thirty years have passed since they tried and failed to defeat the Reapers.

"Why? What happened here?" asks Sha'li.

Liara looks annoyed by the question.

"Oh Sha'li, don't you ever listen to us? This is where it all began, where Verity was touched by the prothean beacon and we first learned of the Reapers."

"Oh yea, Eden Prime, I remember now."

"I think that if you're going to act as Sha'li's guardian, Ash, you need to work more on her education beyond tactics and small arms."

"To what end? Seems rather pointless now, don't you think?"

"Hmm, well, hmm." Liara cannot really disagree, their eventual demise now inevitable. "I still just wish I knew what happened aboard the Citadel. Why didn't the Crucible work? We know Verity got to Citadel control but... it was like it just didn't fire."

"Come on, Liara, we've been over this a million times."

"Yes... I just hope that the next cycle has better luck with the Crucible. We've added all we learned from the rachni, Conrad, and such, so maybe they will add the final missing element that we overlooked."

"The next cycle will have to take care of itself, we can't worry about that now."

"No, I suppose not. We've done all we can now. It's over, old girl."

"Yup, just running and hiding for the rest of our lives."

"How I wish Verity was here. Not that I would want her to suffer this with the rest of us, but... I still miss her."

A few tears roll down Liara's freckled cheeks.

"Hey, hey, I thought you were okay."

"Oh I don't know, installing this last beacon... it's just reminded me..."

"_Are _you okay?"

"No. Not really. The finality of this last action, it just brings it all back. I potentially still have centuries to live of this. Alone."

"You're not alone, Liara." Sha'li tries to comfort her, aware that her situation is not entirely dissimilar.

"Thank you, Li." Liara forces a smile at her.

Ashley sees remnants of the desperate look that Liara used to carry after the Normandy SR-1 was destroyed, lost and afraid. They leave the bunker where they have installed Liara's last message to the future.

"Sha'li, head back to the shuttle. We'll be along in a minute."

"Okay, mother."

"You go back too, old girl. I just need a minute to think."

"Oh. Er... okay. Don't be too long, we don't want to get picked up by Reaper forces' scans."

"No, I won't be long. Please, go."

Ashley reluctantly returns to the shuttle. Liara has become increasingly desperate looking on this last installation, releasing the control she has been holding onto to get these final actions done, scattering the beacons across the galaxy to warn the future of the Reapers. Once Ashley and Sha'li are out of sight, Liara allows herself to crumble, tears flowing and her body shuddering. If it wasn't for the need to install these beacons, she would have given up a long time ago.

"Is Liara okay?" Sha'li asks as they walk back to the shuttle.

"I really don't know. But I really hope so. She didn't cope well when Shepard died on the Normandy and I'm seeing that look in her eyes again."

"Hmm, I hope she's okay, she's like my aunt now. And you two are funny together. I like how she calls you 'old girl'."

"Oh you do, do you? I might be older and greyer than I used to be, but I'll still put you over my knee, 'young girl'."

Upon reaching the shuttle, they look back over the valleys of this still green and lush planet, then Sha'li puts her head on Ashley's shoulder and her arm around her.

"I do still miss mother and Auntie Mo though."

"I know, Li, I know. We've all lost so much, but we have each other now, don't we?"

"Yes, I'm glad you found me all those years ago."

"You wouldn't stop crying at first! When Liara tried to take you to the infirmary..."

"Yes, yes, I've heard this dozens of times. Do you have to embarrass me so?"

"That's what moms are for!"

They smile at each other and Ashley kisses Sha'li on the forehead, then they just enjoy the beautiful view of Eden Prime.

"Blue Angel!" The desperate war cry from Liara comes echoing across the land.

"No. Jeez no!"

"What is it?" Sha'li asks, but Ashley is already sprinting as fast as she can back towards Liara. A single gun shot rings out. Ashley falls to her knees when she hears it.

"Oh Liara, no..."


	2. Chapter 2

Ashley remains on her knees, staring at the dirt and grass beneath her.

"Mother? Mother?" Sha'li calls after her, frightened by these sudden and rapid events. "What's happening?"

Ashley doesn't hear her. A sickening feeling sits on her chest, she's not sure if she wants to vomit or not or if it would even help. She feels so stupid and is so angry with herself. She curses herself that she didn't stay with Liara. That look, that haunting, lost look that she had, she should have realised. Ashley didn't know explicitly, but Verity had suggested that Liara had reached that level of desperation in the wake of the Normandy SR-1's destruction. She could believe it, she had seen Liara fresh from the secure unit and the dark, blank stare she carried. So why didn't she see it? Ashley slowly stands. Afraid of what she will find, the walk to return to the bunker's entrance where they left Liara is at a funeral pace. Ashley takes a few shaky steps, her shoulders slumped and head dropped when another gun shot rings out.

"Liara?" Ashley looks up towards the bunker and begins to run again. "Liara!"

She calls back with a pointed finger to her young asari daughter. "Sha'li! Stay there."

"Yes, mother..." Sha'li replies timidly, her hands tight against her chest, fighting tears. It is always upsetting for children to see a parent distressed and the young asari is quite confused as to what is going on. As is the parent.

Ashley rounds the large, grassy mound which forms the bunker's entrance to see two Husks laying dead on the ground and two more floating in a singularity. She pulls her rifle from her back and strafes around to get a sight of the entrance. Now in view, Liara is standing with her pistol aimed at the floating Husks.

"You took your sweet time!" she shouts at Ashley. "Didn't you hear me?"

"What?" Ashley is overjoyed but at the same time, infuriated. "But... we don't use that any more!"

"Oh. Sorry. But I was just standing here, thinking about Verity and the old days when those Husks appeared out of nowhere. It was just sort of... instinctive." Liara says quite lackadaisically, her previous low mood dispersed by the adrenaline of the sudden attack.

"Yooouuuu... stupid. Cow!" Ashley says, quite annoyed but unable to fight a smile.

"What? What's wrong with you, Ash?"

The life now crushed from the Husks in the singularity, they fall. The dark biotic orb disperses and Liara holsters her pistol. Ashley returns her weapon to her back, and as soon as she has goes to Liara, initiating a squeezing hug.

"Oof! Steady on, old girl. I don't mean to be funny but... are getting early onset dementia or something?"

Ashley steps back out of the hug, smiles at Liara then punches her upper arm.

"Ow! What was that for?!" she says, rubbing her now dead arm.

"For being the best damn friend a girl could ask for. Now let's get out of here before any more of these things turn up. Where did they come from anyway? There's been no Reaper drops while we've been here."

"Who knows. Remnants from a previous attack? But you're right, we shouldn't hang around to find out. What? Why do you keep looking at me like that? You're weird, Whore Corps."

"Oh! The old favourites are out, eh? Arbuckle."

"Yummy Mummy."

"Fatty."

"Ashley Verner."

"Blue Angel." Ashley smiles.

"Spectre Williams." Liara curtseys.

"Miss Prothean Expert."

"Hey! Oh come on." Liara indicates that they head back to the shuttle.

They link arms and head back towards Sha'li, Ashley beaming a smile and Liara looking confused and a little concerned about her friend. Upon seeing their return, Sha'li runs to them and throws her arms around them both.

"Is everything okay?" Sha'li asks.

"What is _wrong_ with everyone today? It was only a few Husks." Liara says.

"Yes, Li." Ashley replies. "Everything's fine. Just fine."

"Well..." Liara says. "Reapers notwithstanding. Come on, Garrus will be getting worried. You know how much of a grump he is these days."

"Garrus Grump! Garrus Grump!" Sha'li now sings as she skips back to the shuttle.

"I think she's girl squad material!" Liara jokes.

"Enough girl squad for today..."

After the Normandy had picked up Liara and Ashley from London and initially re-joined the fleet, a message had come through to them from an asari vessel. They had Sha'li on board. She was supposed to have been on her way to her new adoptive parents but this had been made impossible by the war. In the thick of battle, the child was transferred to the Normandy. Ashley had insisted and it seems so had Sha'li and the owners of the ship were happy to have her off their hands by the sound of it. _She's a Williams already. _Ashley had thought at the time.

* * *

Ashley is with Liara in the XO's office. They have been silent for a while, Liara working on her console, still finalising her essays and papers for her own diversion. Ashley just gazes out of a window, seemingly deep in thought. Now in her fifties, she no longer carries the sultry look she did during the Reaper War, but she is still a handsome woman. Ashley has returned to her old tied up bun hairstyle and Liara thinks she looks quite distinguished in this style with the grey hair.

"Are you alright, Ash?" Liara asks. "You've not been yourself since yesterday on Eden Prime."

Ashley is already uncomfortable with this subject.

"I..." she begins, but realising it might sound stupid. "On Eden Prime, when you shouted 'Blue Angel' and I heard the first gun shot, I thought..." she tries to think of a way of stating it.

"You thought...?" Liara begins as she turns away from the console to give her attention then it dawns on her. "Oh! You thought I'd..."

"Yea. Sorry."

"Ashley Williams, I would never do that to you. Not now. I know I've had troubles in the past but... not now. Not like this. Is that why you've been acting so odd?"

"Partly..." Ashley says, spurred on by this assertion about herself by Liara.

"What?" Liara says.

"It made me realise. I don't think I could cope without you, Liara."

"Oh come on, old girl. I think a Spectre can cope with all this without an asari archaeologist. It's not like I have a vast information network any more. And the..."

"Th-That's not what I mean." Ashley interrupts with an uncharacteristic fumble followed by a deep breath and a long whistling exhale. "I'm getting on, Liara, I don't have demanding needs or anything. It'd just be nice to know, there's someone who really cares and I can care about."

"You have Sha'li?" Liara says, bewildered and not hearing what she is actually saying.

"I don't mean like that."

"Oh. Oh!" Liara's eyes widen, Ashley thinks initially in horror at the prospect and her heart sinks.

"Sorry. I shouldn't have said anything." Ashley moves towards the door.

"Don't go, Ash. I just... I had no idea!" Liara says as she rushes to her, then takes her friend's hands.

"Neither did I until I thought I'd lost you. We've gotten even closer these last few years, Liara. You're probably the closest I've been to anyone. When I thought you'd... well, it felt like my heart emptied. I think I knew then that I had to say something. Sorry, I'm no good with this stuff."

"No, you're doing fine. I just don't know, Ash... We've been friends for so long."

Popping her head up for a look when gun fire pings around, Ashley has no problem with that. Death? That's just an occupational hazard. This? This is the most frightening thing she's ever faced. To express her new found feelings, Ashley fears that it might destroy her, or Liara for that matter, if it blows up in their faces and ruins the friendship they have. But if you can't take a risk now, she thinks, then when can you?

"I know you'll never forget Shepard and no-one could ever replace her, but I've feelings for you Liara... do you think you could ever, you know, have feelings for me?"

"Well... not just at the drop of a hat like that but..."

"Yes?" Ashley says, then feels herself warm with further embarrassment at the breathy anticipation of her reaction to the word 'but'.

"Give me time, Ash. I know that might sound a little unfair in the circumstance, to ask for time when we might have so little but... Wow. Come on. This is a shock. Going from platonic to... well, anything else. It's a big step. I've loved you as a friend for so long. For that to become... more..."

"Yea. Fair enough." Ashley concedes with a smile but not without a little sadness as her head drops a little. She didn't know what to expect from Liara, she just knew she had to say something. Yes, it would have been perfect if Liara had just thrown her arms around her and declared that she had feelings too but, that she is even considering it is more than Ashley could have asked for.

Liara smiles her lovely smile at her as she lifts Ashley's chin with a finger, then they stop and gaze at one another a moment as Liara traces a cheek. They know each other's faces, they've been friends for so long but now, there is something new there, something not seen before. The desire in Ashley stirs something in Liara and she returns the look. There is a twitch from Liara's head, followed closely by Ashley in reaction. They slowly and tentatively bring their lips together, briefly kiss then Liara pulls out but still smiling, more so from the eyes now. She didn't pull out in revulsion but that it was enough for now.

It is so long since Liara has felt warmth like this and thirty years have passed since Verity died. Liara never thought it would, but the pain has lessened slightly with the years. Frustrating to Liara as the counsellor's clichéd words ring in her head. She doesn't intend to lead Ashley on but she needed to know with a kiss if there was any chance for them. Verity and she had been quite tactile and physical in showing their love and though Ashley is getting on years, it is still something Liara would want in any relationship to at least some extent. She felt the warmth she needs from Ashley and Liara thinks this is something that could work; she already knows she loves the person, now she thinks she might be able to love the woman. It may take some time but as Ashley said, her needs are not demanding so they can take it slowly if they do indeed pursue it.

Ashley pulls Liara back to hug her deeply, strongly, squeezing her to feel the warmth of her body. When they finally release the embrace, Ashley still looks coy and embarrassed. Liara softly tweaks Ashley's nose with her fingers, causing a girlish smile on the old girl's face.

"And I thought I was the shy one." Liara gently laughs, causing further scarlet hues then Ashley's face drops.

"What?" Liara asks.

"Sha'li. What the hell would we tell her?"

"That she has _two_ mothers now? I doubt it would make much difference to her at her age. It's not like we'd turn to her and say, 'oh by the way, we jump in the sack from time to time', is it?"

Ashley internally flinches a little at this brash assessment by Liara. She liked it but it was uncharacteristic of Liara to her and a surprise. A side she doesn't know?

"You mean...?" she dares not finish what Liara implied.

Liara eyes Ashley for a moment with mock-suspicion.

"Yes!" she finally says with an affirmative nod.

"Oh Liara!"

"Slowly though and I don't think we should tell anyone just yet. Not to hide it, I just think we should see if this will work first but... this is still... weird!"

"Just like you! And it's wonderful, just like you. This should work out just fine then." Ashley beams.

"Well then..."

"Yea!" Ashley says with a little punch in the air and more gusto than she actually meant.

There is an awkward pause.

"I got a ship to run!" Ashley finally says, trying to keep the same level of gusto as though she meant it. "I better go make sure Beefy and Estaban aren't just goofing off down there."

"Okay, old girl. See you later. Drop by when you're free. I'm sure we have plenty to talk about."

"Sure, that'd be nice. See you later, Liara."

Once her door shuts, Liara looks concerned.

"EDI?"

"Yes, Liara?"

"I don't know if you heard any of that but..."

"I did not hear a thing, Liara."

"Hm. Okay then."

"But I am pleased for you. For you both."

"Hmmm."

If she had to be truthful, Ashley was always jealous of what Liara and Shepard had. Not vindictively, just a genuine want to have someone to be that close with, to share a life with. She wasn't jealous of Liara specifically, she hadn't thought of her that way before her recent feelings stirred. It's just that the galaxy has a funny way of playing with its occupants. Verity already knows this.


	3. Chapter 3

"Liara!" Verity bolts up in her bed. The rest of the people in the bunks are used to this, her terrors and screams in the night. She is not the only one anyway as others murmur away. Now awake, she gets out of bed in her vest and knickers, with little room for modesty on a military vessel, and heads to the kitchen for something to drink. She's kept the short hair and so far, its colour remains though a little paler than it used to be. She goes to scratch her head, yawning and knocks herself with the biotic dampener on her wrist, forgetting it is there, then looks at the one on her other wrist and mutters under her breath. Her category are pretty free to roam within these confines.

When Verity had awoken properly in London, it seems that her journey to the Citadel had been a journey only in her mind, she assumes under Reaper influence, also assuming they didn't beam her back down to London again. Why would they do that? That really would make no sense. She has tried to make sense of it as best she can, though why they didn't just kill her where she lay and continue the harvest, she doesn't know apart from possibly the influence of the Crucible. Perhaps they just thought it unnecessary. The Reapers didn't seem at all interested in the relays in this cycle, not like the information they had about the previous ones from Vigil, despite their ability to seemingly just control and transport the Citadel on a whim once the truth of the Crucible became known to them, so it is difficult to say what their motivations were or still are in this cycle.

The confrontation with the Illusive Man and Anderson, were they trying to make her kill herself? Did she fight that with her mind? When that failed, were they trying to force her to make the choices that suited their needs best, choices that for some reason they could not enact themselves? They did not seem to need Verity's physical presence for whatever they were planning. Her head hurts when she thinks about it, but think about it she must to make sense of it. Can anything that ghostly figure said be believed? The structure of the Citadel itself seemed familiar but not the Citadel, she wonders herself if that even makes sense. A journey across her own mind. Yes. That. That is what it felt like. Another piece of the puzzle or just a red herring? Verity will probably never know the answers to these questions, she thinks that there was only one person in the galaxy who could have helped her sort that mess out. But she was thankful for the last platoon able to escape London that spotted her unconscious body, partially hidden under the rubble. She still has the urge to live for some reason. Maybe it's the buzzing in her head.

One thing is certain though. She was indoctrinated for at least some time and while she is able to fight Reaper influence more strongly than most, she is considered a risk, still feeling the maddening buzzing in her head. This craft houses many like her and other sundry criminals that the military is unsure what to do with. In the prothean empire, they would have been slaughtered already but the combined fleet is aware its forces will dwindle fast and they can't afford to throw away hardened, experienced combatants. Besides, martial law is one thing, humanity is another and compassion won out. It had been tense among the fleets during that initial time, each wary of the others as the indoctrinated spies and turn-coats began to emerge. Some of the indoctrinated had even gone willingly to the machines, seeing themselves as spiritual pilgrims, seeking perfection.

Eventually though, it was the geth whose voice swayed the tide and the indoctrinated were spared. The geth were allowed to analyse and disseminate from the indoctrinated and were able to say that not all are completely lost. The geth representative, Qa'Neen spoke at length on the Destiny's Ascension, the new home of politics for the fleet, that not all those who have come under the influence of the Reapers are absolutely so. The sweeping hand of slaughter is no better than the Reapers, it argued and few argued back. Admiral Hackett found himself playing devil's advocate though, on the dangers of allowing the indoctrinated ones to live, just to be certain that all knew the risks and were prepared for them. The safety of the fleet comes first and they do not need enemies from within, and on that point, few argued back.

The quarian flotilla knows the importance of protecting the only home they have. They have provided massive support to the combined fleet, maximizing capacities, enhancing engines, air filtering, all the things they learned as the nomads of space. The live ships they have remaining are barely able to provide nutrition to themselves and the turians but they are stretching as much as they can. They had also reluctantly sanitised several for the other species to farm, ensuring that no cross contamination could occur. The combined fleet had seed banks from each species to ensure their future. Even if victorious, it was unknown what state the galaxy would be in so this preparation was made. The fleet is fed but still hungry; no-one starves. The salarians and geth are assisting the quarians to further improve that which they have already learned, causing the occasional flare up of passion, but then salarians do not suffer fools gladly and to them, most are fools. The rapidity with which salarians age means there are few left who experienced the war first hand and lineage is no longer a concern among the majority, though there is still an elitist element who hold on hard to such traditions to keep their culture alive.

The humans, turians and krogan provide what they can, usually in the form of manpower and transport and the krogan have tempered their breeding. The blue Alliance shuttles viewed almost like the black taxis of England, their presence now so familiar and welcome. It took some in the fleet to see the benefits themselves before they allowed it, but the geth integrated with ship computer systems to again improve capabilities and efficiencies where they could. In these most desperate of times, Verity has truly united the species of a galaxy. Despite Hackett trying to persuade her otherwise, Verity insisted she be treated no differently to any other inmate. No special treatment, no luxury cabin, just leave her be. She receives fewer plaudits around the fleet as time goes on and the events of the war become history. To laud the heroes now, it is felt would be counter-productive for morale in the wake of failure and the message of survival is now told. Verity is just thankful for the occasional visit that Hackett is able to make.

It is assumed that the Normandy perished and Liara with it but the Charon relay was still open, as it was when the Reapers allowed the combined fleet into Sol in the first place and even allowed their escape. Odd that they are so inefficient in this cycle that the exit was not blocked, an obvious and easy task. The Normandy escaped early before the Reapers began their systematic process, taking total control of the relays once the attack was abandoned, to make islands of each cluster. The crew of the Normandy didn't abandon their Commander but there was no reason to be destroyed; they needed to get the beacons up and all was lost anyway. Most of the squad aboard had really been on this mission for the last three years and it was agreed, Shepard would want the beacons up. This was their mission now, still the same one, just different parameters. Now stopping the Reapers meant warning the future, it needed to be done and so they ran when the Reaper nations turned their full attention on the fleet.

The Normandy crew soon had to accept that with the Reapers free to start their harvest proper, there was little hope for anyone remaining in the Sol system, no matter where they were. They had to accept that Shepard was dead, even Liara. Once the remaining combined fleet jumped through the relay to escape total slaughter and the Normandy was not among them, the worst was assumed and later, honours laid. They were only one cluster ahead but there was no way to know, communications over such distances almost impossible under the Reaper influence.

Ashley took command of the Normandy and despite the circumstance, it was accepted she would take this role as senior officer aboard an Alliance vessel. The transition was quite easy, all knew her already and she took her lead from Verity as there is no purpose served in officiousness, certainly not in these circumstance. Not that Ashley couldn't roar with the best of them if she needed to, James needing the occasional dressing down for not pulling his weight in domestic matters. Minor things. They all respected her authority and continue to. Food usually becomes the issue of the day. They supply from appropriate planets when they can, but Tali and Garrus' supplies are always somewhat lower than the rest. With the help of data left in the Normandy's databanks by Mordin, which he always intended to come back to at some point but circumstance wouldn't allow it, and EDI's further analysis assisted by the late Doctor Chakwas, Tali now lives without her suit. It took everyone some time to get used to this but probably less for Garrus.

It took a while for any of the fleets to realise that this was it, whatever the Crucible does, it's either doing it now or it's failed. The horror of the realization that it was a straight fight with the Reapers threw the combined fleet into chaos and it quickly became apparent that the Reapers would annihilate them with numbers and ease. The escaping fleets were only able to perform one jump to the Exodus Cluster before control of the relays was taken so they fled into the space between clusters. No Reapers caught them, assuming they gave chase.

The fleet is now approaching the Fortuna system of the Horsehead Nubula after their long FTL journey; scouts report that no Reapers currently occupy this system but they have no idea how long that may last, particularly not if their recent discovery is anything to go by. If they stay away from the relay system of Pax, then there should be no surprises at least. All are thankful for the opportunity to find resources and restock what they can. Scanning is too dangerous and they have records and surveys of the majority of systems to avoid this, another measure put in place for whatever the result of the attack on Sol was. They know that the Reapers will make their assault one day, they just don't know when. It is accepted across the fleet their demise is inevitable but there is no point in bringing hell to your door when you can avoid it.

If Verity knew the Normandy and Liara were safe, she would not allow her incarceration so easily. Even then though, to FTL from system to system would take an immense amount of time. Regardless, needle in a haystack does not even begin to describe the task. She has found that shining needle before but back then, Udina and Anderson provided directions and a magnet.

She walks along the corridor to the communal kitchen and to the 'fridge. She takes out a pitcher of water and fills a tumbler that was on the draining board and drinks, ever aware of the cameras' eyes on her. A door's buzzer that usually indicates a new inmate echoes through the corridors and she walks to the large doorway to the canteen area to see who the new person is. This new man fights against the two guards but with little effect, they just continue to roughly frog march him in then throw him to the ground in the canteen. He kneels on the floor with the deranged look on his face, the one that all have come to know. Fully indoctrinated. Total control. A brutal and mentally violent process. He would be going to solitary.

"Who's he?" she asks.

"Just another nut job." a guard answers.

Verity's head buzzes more intensely now, looking at this man's face who returns the look expectantly, as though he knows her, though she doesn't know him. He beckons her with his twisted face, gurning, and she wants to listen to him. A sharp pain strikes in her head with a mechanical sound as an image enters her mind. It takes her breath for a moment. Then again. It's a familiar but painful feeling. Each time is particularly uncomfortable but she wants to see these images, she knows there is something there she must see. _Must._ Star system. _Withstand._ Planet. _Pain._ Reaper. _Must. _Reaper? _Withstand. _Not a Reaper? _Pain. What?_

Ignoring the guards, she rushes to this slavering fool and grabs him by his shirt and the room behind him falls away. A heavy weight sitting on her chest makes it difficult to breathe. Darkness. Cold. Bitter cold. The man is now sober, serious and standing before her, somehow highlighted from the darkness though there are no light sources to do so. He utters two words in a deep, penetrating, emotionless voice.

"A TOKEN."

The room returns behind him as does his madness and she gasps, able to breathe again, new confusing visions in her mind.

"What do you know? Hey! What do you know?" Verity becomes increasingly angry as he just laughs a disturbing, manic laugh, drooling.

"Stand down, nut job!" a guard shouts, flicking his baton out from its collapsed state but Verity doesn't hear him.

"Where is it? Where is she? Do they know? Answer me! Do _they_ know?" Verity demands, raising a fist in anger but the guards are already moving in to stop her, a thwack and she blacks out among laughs.

"Hero, my ass."

"Yea! Hahaha! Just another nut job." a dim sounding colleague joins.

These guards are only in their twenties and weren't there for the war. 'Nut job', their derisory term for the unfortunates who have succumbed to the Reapers' control. No matter how desperate the circumstance, there are always those willing to be a cunt; and enjoy it.

* * *

"What are you reading?" Liara asks as she sits next to Ashley on her bed and puts her hand around her waist and head on her shoulder. They have become comfortable with such tactile displays of affection and Ashley has found the warmth that her life was missing.

"'Lady Chatterley's Lover' by DH Lawrence. It's about this well-to-do lady type having it off with her gamekeeper, the social class difference and how that affects them, particularly in the period of Earth this is set in. It's quite saucy in places, you should give it read. I'm over-simplifying maybe, but... you know me! Woman of crappy words!"

"Oh Ash, don't put yourself down. You're very well read. And 'saucy', you say? Hmm, I hope I don't have the same trouble with you that I had with Verity."

"What was that?"

"She was insatiable at times."

"Do I really want to hear this?"

"What? Oh. Sorry. I don't think about... we're just getting along so well and... sorry. I'll be more mindful."

"No. That's okay, Liara. I know we're not quite at that stage and I can never begrudge you talking about Shepard. I mean, people do have pasts."

"Anyway, old girl, it's you and me now. There's little that can change that!"

"Oh! By the way. Sha'li. I've been thinking." Ashley says, with a playful and knowing look.

"Yeeees?" Liara says, already suspicious.

"She already has a mom, you know. Me. And as _you're_ asari, and _she's_ asari, then really, you'll have to be 'dad'. Okay? Good. I'm just trying to honour your traditions." and she pats Liara's leg patronisingly.

Liara throws herself back in laughter and pulls a pillow over her face to hide her giggling, then throws the pillow at Ashley.

"Hey!"

"Now I know why this is easy." Liara smiles.

"Hm?"

"You sound exactly like Verity sometimes."

"Oh."

"Oh! I don't mean that I think that you're... I didn't mean this is just a... oh, that didn't come out right at all. Sorry, Ashley. I didn't mean to compare..." Liara is quite frustrated she can't get out what she means, she doesn't want to break this already.

"Calm down, Liara. Don't have a fit every time you speak your mind."

"You're right, I'm sorry. But I want to say, to tell you, so you know, so there's no doubts, I don't see you as a replacement. We can't try this if this isn't clear. It's me and you, okay? I know you're Ashley. And it's Ashley I want."

"Liara..." is all Ashley can respond to this, quite overwhelmed.

Liara strokes the back of Ashley's neck as she now leans over the asari, stroking her arm, then her face changes to one more serious. Liara pulls Ashley towards her to kiss her, and with some passion. Ashley is surprised by the soft, moist tongue that glides across her lips then beyond them when it causes her mouth to accept it but it feels good. Their embrace feels right. Liara lies back down and smiles again. Ashley feels the warmth rising over herself, her senses heightened in arousal at what they just shared and the sight of the beautiful asari looking back at her with that in her eyes.

"Did anyone see you come in here?" Liara whispers.

"Uh... no. I don't think so. Why?"

"Stay with me tonight."

"Oh. You sure, Liara? We don't have to..." Ashley begins.

"Shut up, Ashley, old girl." Liara says, pulling her in again.

* * *

Verity enters the small interview room and as soon as she enters, salutes with full honour to Admiral Hackett who is quite aged, but not without influence and in his mind at least, he is still 'career'; a mind that is still sharp despite his years. A guard stands with her and also enters.

"Admiral, sir!" Verity shouts.

"Come in, Shepard, at ease, sit down. Do I have to say it every time? There's no need for all that. Sergeant, leave us." he dismisses with a wave.

"But, sir..." the guard protests.

The Admiral stands.

"That's an order, son." he barks.

"Sir!" and the guard leaves.

Hackett sits back down and his face is stern and serious.

"Sir?"

"There's been a development, Commander." he begins. She sits up and pays attention, this doesn't sound like a friendly chat, almost like a... brief?

The admiral brings up his omni-tool and activates some images. Reapers. Destroyed Sovereign class Reapers, floating in space. She has seen destroyed Reapers before but not in these numbers. Dozens. She sits back now, already pondering while Hackett continues, viewing the images and just listening.

"We found these floating around between systems. If you look at the damage..." he zooms into a section of one image, overlays showing impact depths, diameters, heat density and other information on the damage, "it's nothing we could produce. The geth have speculated that only the Reapers themselves can produce this kind of yield but... well, we're stumped. Is there another power at work here? But it's not just that. The attack on these Reapers has been analysed. This was visceral. Not just to ensure they were destroyed. Whoever or whatever did this tore them up after the fact, like in a rage. Like to make sure they weren't ever coming back. We had to ask your opinion, Commander. What do you make of all this?"

She looks at Hackett with a smile he is unsure of. Verity laughs quite heartily, some of her visions becoming clearer while she has been listening.

"It's war, Admiral!"

"The war is lost, Commander. And I don't see what's so damn funny." the Admiral is unimpressed with Verity's lack of seriousness on this matter.

"No, not us. Them. The Reapers. They've been at war with each other from the start. One of them sent an olive branch to me." she laughs again.

"What? And what's so damn funny?"

"Don't you see what this means?" she excitedly says. "There's hope. We have hope. And the olive branch, it was the Normandy. They let me know that the Normandy survived. Liara survived. They're still out there."

"That's a lot... of... unknowns... How do you even know any of this? And what's this 'olive branch'?" Hackett demands.

Verity looks away, with a little guilt, "They sent a message to me."

"They... oh... Commander... are we to risk the fleet on dreams from the unknown?"

Verity turns her eye back to him, not without some anger. She controls it and looks away again.

"You sound like the Council. I know what I saw." she sneers.

"What they showed you." he corrects but she isn't interested. "Alright then. Have it your way. Have we anything else to discuss?"

"I need to find out, sir."

"And you need to understand, Commander, selling this to the combined fleet? That's not going to be easy. Indoctrinated sources? There'd be an outrage."

"There's an element of Reapers out there that want to talk. Let me talk to them. Whether it's the prothean cypher or whatever happened in London, I can take it more than most. They know if they came anywhere near the fleet there'd just be all out war. Let me take a lone ship out and see. Please."

"Like I said, this isn't going to be easy to sell but if you think this is an actual possibility..."

_Liara._


	4. Chapter 4

She feels like the naughty girl that used to sneak extra sessions in on the biotic range, but the penalties for getting caught this time are more harsh. Verity tries to keep her head down in the canteen queue, attempting to gain a second meal. Despite the 'ifs' and 'buts' that came with it, the positive noises that Admiral Hackett made about her assertions means she needs to prepare. The removal of the biotic dampeners will not be enough to harness her power, she needs to bulk up.

The meeting with Hackett was mixed to say the least.

"I've made discreet enquiries among select representatives and the response so far is favourable. That's as much as I have right now but it's a step in the right direction, Commander."

"Well, good! But... I still have worries."

"Oh?"

"The Citadel AI."

"You were de-briefed, Commander. We are not going over this again. We can't accept the word of that thing."

"But its logic was sound. We can't ignore what it said out of hand."

"Commander."

"What if we make this deal with the devil and they're right? We're back at square one. Only worse because there'll be no next cycle to stop them. Ever."

"If it's right, then why didn't the Reapers just do that themselves. Huh? They're the exact machine AI it was talking about. They could have just wiped out organics in the first instance and never looked back, but they didn't. We can't accept the word a machine."

"You trust the geth, don't you?"

"They're not like machines..."

"Oh. So it's _your_ perception that gives them worth? I think that AI was on to something."

"That's not what I meant. The geth have been invaluable to the combined fleet."

"Oh I see, so they're useful to you. Hm. Nice." Verity says, almost enjoying this now, releasing her frustrations on the Admiral. Anyone else, Hackett would have given them both barrels but Shepard deserves his ear, even when it's not something he wants to hear. Friends can do that for each other but there is always that element of respect; he is the Admiral, she is his subordinate. Despite her facetious remarks and his allowance of it, they both know that.

"We'll conclude this another time, Commander. I can clearly see that you're... unfocussed today."

"I need to get out there, Admiral. I know the answers are there."

"I know you're restless. I'm doing all I can. I'll see you when there's any developments. And stay positive. If this comes off... well, I don't need to tell _you_ of the dangers."

"Sir!" Verity stands and salutes.

The chef slops some mash on her portioned tray then sees it is her and purposefully places his attention elsewhere, as though looking at her highlights her to the guards.

"Shepard." he whispers out of the side of his mouth. "You crazy? They'll kick your ass if they see you again."

Verity smiles and whispers back, also without looking at him, "They can try, Billy boy, they can try."

Her tray filled, she goes as casually as she can to one of the tables and sits to eat. She eats quickly to hopefully minimise the risk.

"Shepard!" she hears a guard shout from her rear with the familiar sound of the expanding baton. "How many times...?"

She spins out of her chair and stands with one foot forward, prepared. Seeing the challenge, the guard swings his baton from above his head and she slides the lead foot forward and raises her arms to 'catch' his forearm, grabbing it tightly and pulling to keep the momentum. A swing over her hip into the table's edge and the guard is prone, clutching the ribs that impacted with the table. She stays low in her stance as another guard approaches.

"Hey! Nut job!" he shouts as he comes with his baton.

He tries a barn door of a swing. She quickly reverses stance to block him at the forearm and the leading arm getting close into his defences as her elbow digs hard into his solar plexus, then smacks back across with the back of her fist then up into his throat, all in one fluid motion. He falls choking and her stance is more lively, almost playful, as the remaining guards come as one to overpower her. She knows the bruises will fade and she needed this, to remember the adrenaline, the fear, overcoming the fear. She still can, despite her brutal beating by the guards among flailing batons. And the food wasn't bad today either.

* * *

A few of the crew are just talking in the Normandy's mess, the couples. Ken and Gabby, Tali and Garrus, Joker and EDI, as though just friends at a dinner party.

"Ach, I'm no really bothered where we end up, as long as I've got some fine rump!" Ken says, grabbing a handful of Gabby's behind as she sits on his knee.

"Kenneth. You won't end up anywhere if you keep that up."

"All I've left in the galaxy is the simple pleasures and she wants to deny me even that! I may as well go jump in the engine core now."

"Not if I push you first..."

Time has not improved their playful bickering, nor Ken's crude humour. Nor would they want it to.

"EDI?" Garrus says, returning the conversation to the topic at hand. "Do you have a perfect planet?"

"I do not see the purpose of this enquiry. We will encounter whatever planet we encounter, our choice will be dictated by necessity."

"Yea but... we organics, we like to dream. So, if you did have a choice and it wasn't 'dictated by necessity', what would you want?"

"My needs are not the same as the rest of the crew. I would want a planet that could sustain us all. Any further conditions are not required."

"Come on, EDI." Tali encourages. "Don't you have anything that you want?"

"I have Geoff." she says.

Joker stands quickly and raises his hands in triumph.

"Ow! Ooh, that was a bit quick..." he says at first, the excitement of the moment getting the better of him. "But... In your face, Donnelly!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Gabby says to Joker.

"Oh, sorry, Gabs. I didn't mean... you were just joking about, and I thought..."

"Sit down, you idiot." Gabby says with a wave.

Joker sits down again, holding his side.

"You are okay, Geoff?" EDI enquires

"Yea, yea, I'm fine. Don't fuss every time I say 'ow', we'd have little time for anything else if you did."

"Anyway!" Garrus again brings the group of friends to order. That particular subject no-one discusses in public. EDI and Joker do spend time alone with each other but no-one dares think what activities, if any, they get up to. In polite ship circles, EDI and Joker talk a lot and no more is said on the matter. Certainly, no-one has dared to ask. "So there's no 'cherry on the top' you'd want with that, EDI?"

Garrus air quotes the words with a nod to Joker for the new found phrase.

"Anything else would be supplementary but welcome." she states.

"Okay, we'll mark that down as 'easily pleased' then shall we?" Tali says.

"Well she is with Joker..." Ken says. Joker just responds with an equally childish face at the Scotsman while everyone laughs at the comment.

Ashley enters the room and the laughter dies down a little.

"Don't stop anything on my account. How's everyone doing?"

Gabby moves off Ken's knee onto a seat of her own and the group all seem to become awkward with their partners, Ashley is used to it but it does grate. They think she's the old maid, that's what she thinks that they think, anyway. The one that got left on the shelf. It's an old concept but Ashley was brought up with old values. Part of why she has been labelled intolerant in the past. She is not entirely incorrect though. The crew do feel sorry for her; not patronisingly, but they know the value of the their loved one and how that strengthens them. She sees the subtle, awkward actions she has seen so many times and wishes she could tell them. Tell them that they don't have to pity her any more, she won't receive that sympathetic look from the happy lovers that occupy this ship any more, she will be one of them.

"You okay, Ash?" Tali asks.

"Yea. Fine." she says, and the happier tone is noticed.

"Ye look like the cat that got the cream, Commander." Ken comments.

"Really? Oh. Dunno why."

She wants to but she wouldn't. That's not why she is with her, it's just going to be the cherry on the top.


	5. Chapter 5

"EDI knows?" Ashley says. "EDI knows?" she says again.

"Well. Of course she does. She's everywhere. It's difficult to keep anything from her. I don't know why you're so surprised."

"Well... yea, I know but it just hadn't occurred to me... her and Joker. And whatever they..."

"Uh!" Liara raises a halting hand before Ashley gets any further with that train of thought.

"Well, anyway, when they 'talk', they must talk about the ship and stuff. Talk about their day like normal people."

"'Like normal people'?. Tsk. Ashley..."

"She's a robot." Ashley says quite frankly. "I'm not making any apologies for thinking that that's... different."

"Hmm."

"We must have come up though. _You_ know what I mean. You're the one who dubbed her."

"Oh yea." Liara smiles smugly. "I did didn't I. 'Blabbermouth'."

"Well. All I'm saying is, it's going to come out sooner or later."

"It'll come. We're okay for now, aren't we, old girl?"

"Sure! I'm not saying... well I'm not saying anything. Just shooting the breeze."

"Hm."

"Anyway, back to my original point, remember? A half hour ago? Before Tangential T'Soni butted in? In future, we don't use the girl squad call signs."

"Not even for fun?"

"Oh fun is okay, that's fine. Just... not in the field."

"Okay then, my 'Grey Destroyer'." Liara says, putting arms around Ashley.

"Really? Don't I at least get 'Grey Fox'?"

"Are we getting too old for all this nonsense?" Liara puzzles.

"Nonsense...?" Ashley protests.

They look at each other seriously a moment but they can't keep it up for long, then at the same time say childishly, "Nah!"

* * *

The old questions have become side-lined for the new ones, being that they are more immediate, though some of the oldest ones still filter through. Verity is thankful for the time in solitary to think deeply about the questions, make sense of her mind. Picking out anything she thinks relevant or just meaningful from the events over the last three years. Some of it worries her and she worries herself.

The salarian on Sur'Kesh. His words always stayed with her. If only he was still alive now to help her probe the questions further. Little chance of that. With their life span, he'd be long gone by now. What did he say?

"Who knows what place in the galaxy the krogan may yet hold."

The krogan. It took the genophage to stop their violent, seemingly unstoppable conquest after they stopped the rachni doing the same. It was a soft genocide, devised by the salarians and turians. But the krogan are part of this galaxy. When she looks from above, away from herself, away from her own feelings and failings, that worries her. The Reapers made it fairly redundant but the question still stands. Was attempting to remove the krogan or indeed the rachni from the galaxy the right thing to do? In the long run, in the life-span of a galaxy and now that they know, that indeed the krogan and the rachni have been essential in the survival of this cycle at least. Who knows what more they might do? Like the salarian said, they are part of this galaxy.

Then the worrying and nagging begins. The Reapers are part of this galaxy. Do they deserve a right in it? She doesn't know their intentions or motivation yet but the questions must be pondered. Would a soft genocide work for the Reapers somehow, if those who have sent her messages knew the method and would be willing to bestow it? Is that any better than what happened to the rachni or the krogan? Do the Reapers serve a purpose? She wonders if she is too tied up in the logic of it all, that she needs perspective sometimes to stop herself being sucked in completely.

The Illusive Man placed no Reaper tech in her. That has been established but she still isn't sure if she is really herself. No analysis by any technology can answer that question; does this entity have a soul? Liara seemed to think so of her and Tali of Legion, but when Verity is just inside herself, no-one can say for certain, not really. But she finds these thoughts of logic easy. Comfortable. She thinks it might be an after-effect of the Citadel encounter but she's not sure. Maybe David Archer? Something else from her past to be picked at? David Archer. She doesn't know if he survived, it hadn't really occurred to her, which she feels initially a little bad about but.

_Good. That's something._

David Archer.

_To do what? Integrate with Reapers? Congratulations, you're the new Gavin Archer!_

"Gah!"

She'd still like his opinion along the way if possible. To see him at least.

He has survived into the fleet. As has his brother, Gavin. After his work on the Crucible, Doctor Gavin Archer was pardoned and now lives with his brother aboard an Alliance ship assigned as civilian. They have an almost symbiotic relationship now, with Gavin too old to see to his own needs, and David, unable to cope without a routine provided to him. Despite his dependency, Gavin is thankful that he has had this opportunity to find peace with his brother. David is still frustrating to the elder brother in his refusal to conform to social conventions at times, speaking only in numbers and square roots. They play chess most evenings and Gavin has won only a handful of times, though he is pretty sure David let him win, or he was distracted that day. David still gets like that sometimes and Gavin isn't sure if it means anything or not.

Verity remembers the knowing look that she received from David aboard Grissom Academy. She had helped him and the other students, yes, but there seemed like more to her. They had shared their minds briefly when she was connected to his network at the Project Overlord facility, like when she connected to the geth base consensus. Both times made her Cerberus and biotic implants feel live, unearthed. She thinks. That's what it felt like anyway. Legion had showed her the past, the geths' rise, the quarians' fall and that question. That question she has often asked herself and its haunting ring as her dead friend's voice asks it before he sacrifices himself, as clear as on Rannoch in her mind.

"_Does this unit have a soul?"_

So many times have 'things' been in her head. It started with the prothean beacon on Eden Prime, followed swiftly by asari melding. Has asari melding affected her in any way? She's done that a lot. Verity smiles but then sobers herself to continue thinking. Shiala. That's a mixed bag she's unsure of but she's looked that one in the face many times, still unsure if she did the right thing but at the same time, knowing she is lying to herself. Asari meld, mixed with prothean cypher and a sprinkle of ancient Thorian creature on the top. _That can't be a good cocktail. _Is any one of these events causing this? All of them? None of them?

She is exhausted now and it is late. She should sleep. Save her energy. She doesn't know when she might be able to find out. Maybe its just indoctrination that makes her feel this way. Maybe its just the buzzing in her head.

* * *

"Up!" the voice wakes Verity.

"Mmm." she feels like she has hardly slept. "How long..?"

"Get up, Commander."

_Commander?_

She shakes the sleep from her head and looks at him properly, but cannot make any features out as he is silhouetted against the open doorway of the small solitary cell. He sounds older than the usual guards here though, older than her even. She sits up properly and onto the edge of the bed, pulls on her prison fatigues and stands.

"Heh. I hear you gave some of them boys a good seeing to." he chuckles.

"Do I know you?" she asks.

"No. But I know you, Shepard! Some of us still remember. Hehe. Come on, they're waiting."

"Oh. About time. And you are...?"

"Oh, that don't matter. I'm just here to see you to the Admiral."

He looks around with pantomime exaggeration, then whispers loudly anyway. There's no-one around anyway so she just goes along with the farce.

"It's er... sort of an unofficial release here so, keep your head down, there's a good girl."

_There's a good girl?_

He seems like a kindly sort, so she allows it.


	6. Chapter 6

Hackett has advised Verity that while nothing is in place yet with regard to her request, he wanted her out of that facility.

"If this comes off, we don't want you thrown out there straight from a cell. We're moving you to an Alliance frigate, one that's still ours so we can keep this on the low down. You'll have chance to prepare, study the data, load-outs, anything you need. Basically, Commander, if we do this, we need you ready."

"I need to find out about someone, if they're still alive and if so, meet with him. David Archer."

"Doctor Gavin Archer's brother? They're both in the fleet, I'm sure it can be arranged but why? What's he in all this?"

"Not sure. That's why I need to talk to him."

Despite her previous protestations, Verity is glad to be out of the prison unit. More so that she can begin her work properly now. The initial transport is taking her to a civilian ship, where she has been informed a 'friendly' shuttle would take her to the Alliance frigate. To try and hide her face, she is wearing the old Colossus armour they have provided with environmental helmet. They don't intend she use it in the field, just something they found to create anonymity for this journey. The fleet occasionally drops out of FTL to allow venting, disposal, and both official and domestic journeys. Hackett is using one of these windows to transport the Commander.

She exits the shuttle and into the docking area of the civilian craft, busy with people of all species. A public address system gives out news and advice, all accompanied still by the urgent fanfares of information. Trumpets: the precursor of news.

_Remember, fleet first! Safety is survival! This message is brought to you by CombinedFNet. Combined Fleet Network, the only network! Later. Air. How important is it? Salarian scientist, Doctor Sereian, gives her views on the importance of clean air and doing your part to keep it that way. "Flatulence is a real issue that no-one is addressing. I urge everyone. Go to the rest room. Use the facilities." More on that fascinating insight later. In other news..._

They seem to be just living their lives despite the hardships and impending doom. Verity walks with her two guards, though that is not really their purpose, not to limit her in any way, just that the Alliance wants to ensure her safety. Regardless, some of the select few that know about this venture insisted on an escort, with veiled references to her indoctrination.

"Commander Shepard? Commander Shepard."

Verity tries to ignore the call, she knows the impact her presence could make, but cannot resist a glance at the voice she already recognises. Really? Her? Of all the people to spot her.

"Commander Shepard, Kahlisah Bint Sinan al-Jilani, Combined FNet. Commander...?"

"Miss Al-Jilani. Can we keep this down?"

"Oh. Why are you here? Commander Shepard was always news. If you're doing 'something', that's got to be big."

"I'm just going to see command, there's nothing going on."

"That's news in itself, Commander. You've been off the radar a long time. I'd love an interview on the failed attempt on Earth."

"Miss Al-Jilani. Kalisah? We parted on good terms last time. Don't spoil that. And in that spirit, please, keep this on the low-down."

"The people of the fleet deserve answers, Commander. Is this a positive step? Should the people of the fleet be afraid?"

"Just... keep me out of the vids. We don't need to create a panic."

"So... if I read between the lines there..."

"Don't. I have to go." Verity turns to leave.

"Commander?" Kalisah says then a pause as she looks uncomfortable but allows herself a little hope with that which she thinks she has found between those lines. "It _is_ good to see."

As she walks away, Verity looks back to see one of her guards has remained with the reporter, now confiscating her recording equipment as she protests her journalistic rights to no avail. Perhaps Colossus armour wasn't the best idea from command. It's the armour she wore in the campaign against Saren and perhaps people just instantly associate it with her. That, combined with the person in the armour and some are going to notice.

_Hindsight's a wonderful thing._

Verity wonders how so many have survived, not just this long but that there was enough to sustain this after the attack at Sol. As the closest jump point to Sol, many had waited for the events to unfold in the Exodus Cluster and joined the fleet as it made its escape into the darkness. As she walks to the docking bay to her next transport, Verity becomes aware of a presence in the periphery of her vision. She turns to look and an asari stares at her, tall and rigid, still and elegant.

"Samara!" Verity shouts and Samara smiles now.

"Shepard. A welcome sight if ever there was one. Are you... free?"

"Hard to say, Samara, hard to say. What's happening with you?"

"My... order has disbanded. There is no place for the Code in these circumstance."

"Oh..."

"Yes. But I have found some peace."

"Shepard?" Anaya says as she arrives.

"Hey! Anaya!"

Anaya is carrying a food parcel and shows the contents to Samara. She stepped in quite close into Samara's personal space and Verity noted that Samara did not flinch, was completely comfortable with the affection shown.

"Sam! We got... water, rice, some pulses, even a few spices today! Thessian!"

"Oh Anaya! That is wonderful. Sorry, Shepard, but it is some time since we ate a meal with a taste other than the water it was boiled in."

"You said it." Anaya agrees.

In celebration of their upcoming flavoursome food, Anaya playfully pulls Samara towards her by the waist and kisses her cheek, then Samara becomes awkward that she did so in front of Shepard.

"Oh!" Verity says. "Well... good to see you're both well."

"We are, Shepard. But... what brings you here? If you are permitted to say."

"I... there's..." Verity trusts Samara. With her life. But she really doesn't know what to say. What is she doing? What is the plan? She just knows she needs answers and they won't all be found by staying here in the combined fleet.

"We don't know yet." is the only way she can think of stating it.

Samara steps in closer to Shepard for relative privacy.

"I feel the hope in your words, Shepard. I am yours, if you have need of me." then she steps back, her point made.

"I might hold you to that yet, Samara."

Verity notices Samara's quizzical look at the armour.

"Like it?" she says, giving a twirl. "Colossus. Classic. And look! Mod slots! They didn't give me any mods to play with but... look! Mod slots!"

"Clumsy things." Samara says.

"Are you insulting my armour, 'Sam'?"

"I am pleased that you are pleased, Shepard." Samara replies, humour not being one of her strong points.

The guard who dealt with Al-Jilani has now caught up and his partner makes an interrupting cough then steps towards Shepard.

"Ma'am? We need to..." he says.

"Sure. One second. Good to see you both again."

"We'd invite you 'round for dinner but... well... that's not much of an event these days." Anaya says.

"Seems I have to go. 'bye Samara. See you, Anaya."

Verity didn't ask about Falere. Samara would have said if she knew of her fate and she didn't want to bring up old wounds.

Anaya watches Samara watching Shepard walk away down the large bay. She looks at the food parcel, then back up at Samara. It's suddenly as though Samara isn't even there any more. Anaya knows Samara mourns the Code, that part of her life yet to be filled. She had hoped she could be that, the thing that makes Samara complete after her precious order fell and even, she hoped to fill herself too. But she knows that never really happened. They have had a happy time together, that is not in doubt but she knows. Really. Samara can never be truly peaceful.

"I'll miss you." Anaya says, quite finally.

"Pardon? Oh..." Samara says, snapping out of her thoughts, knowing what Anaya means and that in her own mind, her adventures have already begun.

"Sam. Samara. I can't complain really." Anaya says as she takes Samara's hands in hers. "I've had more than I could have ever wished for since that time you and Shepard turned up to wreck my district."

"I am sorry, Anaya."

"No. No apologies. Just... a last dinner together? A last evening together?"

Samara smiles and nods. They make their way back to their small quarters for an evening to enjoy their companionship, and as they found in each other after Sol, more.

* * *

Verity knocks on the door and waits. After a few words between the occupants the door opens and there he stands. David Archer.

"Commander Shepard." he says simply with his soft, smiling but now older face.

"Invite her in, David! Don't leave her standing there."

It is as though he didn't hear Gavin but then David stands aside and offers her in, everything at his own considered pace.

"Please."

Verity enters into this small, dark 'apartment', a single room with few amenities or furnishings but it is tidy and well kept.

"Come on, David. Put the big light on so we can all see in here." Gavin says. David flicks the main light on. Gavin is now almost totally bald, sitting on his comfy looking armchair and David has not faired much better in the hair department. He sits on a pouffe and holds his knees, still somewhat childlike despite his years due to his condition and experiences.

"I'd get up, Commander, but..."

"That's okay." she waves.

"The square root of..."

"David." his brother says sternly.

"It is always good to see you, Commander." David now says, still with the expectant look she saw at Grissom Academy.

"So... Commander. You wanted to speak with us?" Gavin says, wanting to know what this is all about.

"Yes. Well. David, actually."

"Oh?"

"There's something I need to know. When he was connected to the geth and the VI..."

"Yes?"

"David?" she now directs her question at him as she kneels on one leg in front of him. "Do you remember much about that? When you became the network? When I was in it too. And how that all felt?"

Each question seemed to fill David with increasing distress until the final one. How did that feel? Numbers and calculations spew from his mouth at an alarming rate while he rocks, gripping his knees tightly.

"David? David!" his brother cries out, reaching from his chair.

Verity feels terrible for putting him through this and tries to calm him by placing her hand on his.

It is not too painful, nor is it at all cold but she wants to shout out the words that David did. Buzzing and clicking, loud and confusing, too much to listen to, too much to hear, too much to bare. Those words haunted her for a while, distorted and unclear, but becoming clearer with each step. Until they were pure and sorrowful. She wants to shout the words herself and finally they overpower the cacophony of sounds in her head, clanging and familiar.

"_Quiet please, make it stop!"_

She violently flings herself back from David with a gasp for air and her mind returns to the apartment. David just smiles, serene.


	7. Chapter 7

"So is it a plan?" Ashley asks the squad and senior ship crew in the conference room they use to discuss important matters.

"Therum? Ha! Really?" Liara laughs.

"I know!" Ashley says. "If we can get onto Therum, scavenge what we can, bring Tali and her magic pockets, we could get a lot from there. Even though it was abandoned, there's still got to be a hell of a lot of resources down there. We already have the data on the site in the ship records they installed. And as I said, if we can somehow get into the lower levels of the prothean facility, if there's anything left of it after that cave in, dig in and find a home? Got to be worth a try."

"It's been a while since I wore those magic pockets. I hope I still fit into it! And I can find it... Garrus dear, have you seen my old suit recently?" Tali asks, her soft, pale skin almost glowing under the lights. There is a luminescent quality to Tali's skin but not to the extent that she glows in the dark, though Joker's humour would say otherwise. She wears clothes of her own manufacture, still reminiscent of the old quarian styling but with no mask, and her hood only when the wont takes her.

Garrus 'hums' and 'hahs' in thought, ignoring Tali's domestic request. There was no XO appointed when Shepard re-took control of the Normandy and the Reapers made their initial attack on Earth. Now and probably then too, Garrus unofficially fills this role, his experience and gravitas making him the obvious choice. He even has the old XO's office now, as Liara resides in the captain's quarters. Ashley values his opinion, all major decisions discussed and agreed upon.

"It's too good an opportunity to pass up. Risky, but I say we go for it." he finally agrees.

"We're still a hell of way out but, yea, we haven't encountered any Reaper ships in a long time." Ashley replies.

"Ugh, jinx us, why don't ye?" Donnelly says.

"There's always going to be one problem though, no matter what we do." Joker says, agitated.

"Joker?" Ashley says.

"EDI."

"Geoff. There is no need to..." EDI attempts to take his arm.

"No!" he says, resisting her, he thinks for her own good. "I have to say it. No-one else is. EDI _needs_ the Normandy. Despite her body, she _is_ the Normandy. She won't be EDI without it. We can't just live on Therum and scupper the Normandy so it's signatures can't be found."

The group look at each other but not at Joker or EDI. They feel guilty for not only missing this vital situation but that they don't know how it can be resolved. EDI is a ship and a robot, and they all feel that guilt as well.

"Yea, well." Joker says. "Thanks, guys. Come on, EDI."

He takes her by the hand and leads her. She goes with him, though she keeps looking back at the group with concern. Not for herself, but that she doesn't want to be the cause of this. EDI knows what she is, regardless of the positive reinforcement she receives when she interacts with her Geoff.

"How many computer banks is she? How much power would that take? Will she lose anything by being disconnected from the ship but retaining her AI? I mean, she has the body so..." Garrus asks.

Ashley tries to keep the train of thought alive, "Hm. She said something about being within tight band width of the Normandy so... little help? Anyone? That means nothing to me."

"Possibly..." Tali says. "To be honest, I'm good but I think EDI would probably be the best person to discuss this with. I'm pretty sure her processors are already whirring away."

"Indeed they are, Tali." EDI comes over the comm. "And thank you. Everyone."

Looks of relief pass between the group though no words said on her thanks.

Garrus looks perturbed, "I know she can probably still hear me, but I hate it when she does that. I always wonder if while speaking to us, she and Joker are actually..."

"Uh!" many hands are raised to halt him.

"Talking! I was only going to say talking! I wonder if she is having two conversations at once! That's all! I'd hate that..."

Then he smiles, wryly, with a soft, gravelly chuckle as his pondering hand comes up to his chin.

"Ew! Garrus!" Tali says as she slaps the offending hand from its position.

* * *

"Commander? Commander Shepard? Are you alright, David? What's going on?" Gavin Archer says with distress, frustrated he is stuck in his chair though what he would do if he stood, he doesn't know.

"Yes. Fine." David says calmly then looks to the Commander still sitting on the floor. "The square root of nine hundred and six point zero one is..."

"Thirty point one..." Verity says. That particular square root still means nothing to her but she always wondered if it was comparable to the geth divide. If it is something like that for David with this specific square. David had interfaced with geth for an extended period, so he must have come to know their minds in some way, possibly even their very being.

"What's going on?" Gavin is bewildered.

Verity stands, still a little groggy from the experience and turns to Gavin, now quite serious.

"Gavin... Doctor Archer? Despite our differences, can we keep this between ourselves? You know, just me, you and David?"

"Well... for the help you've given in the past, both to myself and my brother, of course. But why?"

"I think I know what's going on now." she replies as she walks purposefully to the door, then stops to look back, feeling guilty that she didn't say it sooner. Though she ponders perhaps she did by answering the square root.

"Thank you, David."

"Thank _you_, Commander Shepard."

She leaves the apartment.

"David? Can _you_ tell me what's going on?"

"Change." he says, as though that makes it all clear.

"What change? Am I supposed to understand that?"

"The square root of..."

"Ugh, never mind. Always _something _when the 'illustrious' Commander Shepard's about. Damn nuisance. Chess?"

"No prisoners today!" David smiles.

"Hm! Well, we may as well play regardless. Pass the time, at least. Come on, David, get the set out then. Let's get set up!" he says with a quick clap of his hands, unaware of how much he really depends on his brother. David is patient with his brother, more than Gavin will know but family can forgive the short tempers that come to some with the frustration of age.

Verity needs their silence for now, she cannot tell command about this yet or risk letting darker elements know. Admiral Hackett has already made the suspicious, disturbing noises of fear of the unknown and right now, she is about as unknown as it gets.


	8. Chapter 8

Armour load-outs. Always fun to play with and Verity has a near endless choice of enhancements to choose from, provided by Admiral Hackett and his team. The first task here though is something more immediate. Colour.

In her youth, and to remind her of her love of all things asari, she would always choose blue as colour of preference. When she moved out of the biotic facility and into the military and beyond, she had less of a choice. The armour of old didn't come with optional colours. Colossus, red and black. Predator, woodland camouflage. Onyx, black. Back then, she accepted the colour of the armour worn and made her own preferences underneath. That was until the load-out consoles appeared after her resurrection. Despite the lack of mods, she does appreciate these machines. Choose the components you want, then next time it proffers armour from its automated locker, there it all is. With this change also came other options, options to change to colour of the armour. She's not sure how but Verity assumes that there isn't dozens upon dozens of components in there, covering all the possible combinations. Nor does she think that there are tiny little sprays in there, doing a quick paint job on request; though to her inner-child, that is what is happening.

When she first encountered one of these consoles aboard the Cerberus craft where she first met the Illusive Man, she went straight to blue, then stopped herself. She had found Liara by that point, they'd already begun their adventures in love. The urgency of blue didn't seem so strong and she went for the white with blue trim that she used to wear under the old armour. Thrilling to her when she first saw the same scheme adorning her blue angel on Illium, wet from the sprinkler system, set off by the Shadow Broker's ordinance.

Liara. Verity learned last time that the galaxy doesn't behave like anyone would like it to and she has tempered, just slightly, her anticipation and desire. She still yearns, feels that aching feeling in the chest that she is not here but to hope too much, that Liara is there, waiting for her, or if that fails or if Liara has met her end somehow already, Verity doesn't want to think about it, so won't. There is plenty enough to think about as it is and she feels guilty for allowing her mind to side line the thoughts of companionship and union with the only one she has ever loved.

Verity allows her mind a little wander. She had wondered at the time, when she first saw Liara in her casual white and blue armour, if that was her own influence. When they would go running or swimming, Verity would wear her white running shorts and matching vest, all with blue trim. The young asari had even commented one time that she liked this look, though she was inspecting Verity's posterior at the time. Verity hoped that this was something else they shared, their love of all things blue and white; her own reasons being blue for asari, white for truth and her name. Then Verity breaks herself from this musing, her mind has done enough of that recently and what happened there.

Samara has dug out her own stylish armour for this venture, still able to stop a room by just entering with her stunning and elegant looks; and impressive cleavage. They are aboard the Alliance vessel in a wing of their own, overlooking a hangar bay. Admiral Hackett agreed to Samara's inclusion due to her known support to Shepard and the Alliance in the past.

There is an array of weapons provided so while Samara sorts through her own kit in front of the weapons table, Verity begins checking over them, applying her Warp ammo modification to each one to assure its working order. She quickly 'hacks' each weapon's technological innards, then moves onto the next.

"So." Verity begins. "Anaya, eh?"

"Yes." Samara simply replies.

"That's it? 'Yes'? Come on, 'Sam', you can do better than that."

"Hm." Samara initially says at Verity's mock usage of the name. "Well... it is all so long ago, I doubt Anaya would complain."

"Ooh, this sounds interesting already!" and she gives Samara her full attention while trying to continue her work.

"We found companionship as I guided her through the Code..."

"Wait a second. The Code...? What did Anaya have to do with..."

"We were Justicar sisters, for a time."

"Really? Anaya?" Verity bursts out laughing.

"What? Anaya is noble with good intentions, I fail to see the humour."

"It's like, like... reverse Blasto, or something."

"Blasto?" Samara has heard the news feeds but never really paid any attention to them due to their general air of propaganda.

"You know, you'd go in, all elegant, eloquent and reserved, the ideal of the Justicar, with your classic, 'Find peace in the embrace of the goddess.' line. Then Anaya goes in all like, 'Eat shit, scum-bag!'"

Verity laughs some more, finding her own assessment amusing.

"Anaya was not like that. She was most troubled by the slaughter regardless of the evils of the wrong-doers."

"Still funny though..."

"If you say so..."

Verity continues with her work, now pondering.

"I can go with the armour but weapons? I never really got that." Verity suddenly says.

"To what do you refer?" Samara says.

"Armour mods, I can understand how carrying dozens of mods around in the field to change armour properties can be viewed as 'clumsy', but ammo mods? Why did they change all that? Slap in the ammo, done. None of this fiddling about with the tech inside."

"But all weapons are capable now. It merely requires the user to know the hack."

"Hmm. Yea, I suppose. Still seems counter-intuitive."

Another weapon checked and she moves it to the other side of the weapons station.

"How did you do that?" Samara asks, with great surprise and possibly a little fear.

"Do what?" Verity asks, grabbing another weapon to check.

"The modification."

"What? You know how to do weapon mods, Samara..."

"Yes. But when I do it, I need to actually look at the display and manipulate the machine within. You just..."

"I just what?"

"You barely touched it."

"I did?" Verity asks, confused. As far as she was concerned, she did nothing different, though she was running on 'auto-pilot'. "'Curiouser and curiouser, said Alice'." she continues, the rabbit-hole metaphor not lost on Verity.

"Sorry?"

"Oh, never mind. Hm, I wonder though. Samara...? About Anaya."

"But the weapon...?" Samara says, confused as to why this near miracle doesn't seem important to Verity.

"Never mind that for now. Anaya. Did you two meld?"

"Shepard!"

"Oh. No. I don't mean as a couple like that, I just mean, sharing thoughts and memories like bondmates sometimes do?"

"Oh. My apologies for assuming the worst but you can be quite carnal. Of course we did, Shepard. Why?"

"Is that different when it's between two asari? Obviously, I've only ever been the passive participant. But I wondered if with two active asari, is it different?"

"I would not know. Since the discovery of my daughters' condition, I have only bonded with Anaya and before that, only the father of my children."

"Hmm. Bonding with Liara was always... pleasant and serene. When Javik did his thing, or like the prothean beacon, it was almost like... an assault. Makes you wonder."

"How so?"

"No intelligent organic has evolved beyond fifty thousand years for possibly billions of years."

"Indeed."

"So... makes you wonder. What _would _organic life be like by now, if allowed to just continue on?"

"Let us hope we can make that a reality so future generations can be the pioneers of whatever the unknown holds."

"Do you trust me, Samara?"

"Implicitly, Shepard. With my life."

"Come here, then."

Samara goes from her kit bag on the floor, and around the weapons table to Verity.

"Give me your hands."

Samara places her hands in Verity's and from the outside a brief moment passes until she pulls her hands away, in shock and again, possible fear.

"Goddess preserve us!"

"Yup!" Verity says with a guilty grin.


	9. Chapter 9

Joker enters their quarters, the old QEC room which the Normandy currently has no use for, and finds EDI's body just standing there in the centre of the room, then she turns to him, just her head.

"How was your day, Geoff?"

"What are you... doing?"

"I was thinking."

"Yea, but... that's a bit... weird... Sorry, but when people think, they usually do something else as well, they at least sit!"

"But... I am not a person, Geoff. I have no need for further distractions nor rest."

"No, but... no, you're right. As you were, it's not my place to say."

"I do not wish to make you uncomfortable, Geoff. I only wish to please you."

"You know, I always thought that being 'Major Nelson' would be cool..."

"Referencing. 'I Dream of Jeannie'? Is that how you see me?"

"No! It was only a joke."

"It is my observation that the humour usually lies within the truth of the matter. What is unsatisfactory in our relationship?"

"Okay, I do sometimes feel like my dream woman has magically appeared from nowhere, with amazing abilities and..."

"Do you see me as subservient, like 'Jeannie'?"

"What? No! Stop twisting what I say!"

"I am sorry, Geoff. I can see that I have made you upset."

"No! You're the one who's supposed to be getting mad here."

"I cannot 'get mad', Geoff. We have discussed such matters on many occasions."

"Yea, well. I do, and us organics 'project'. And I'm sorry, you've done nothing wrong."

"I am glad, Geoff."

"Could we try 'master'?" he probes.

"You wish for me to call you 'master'?"

"Not seriously or anything, you know? Just for... fun!"

"For fun? Yes, master."

Joker pauses a moment.

"On second thoughts, EDI, scratch that. That _is _too weird."

"As you wish, Geoff."

The turmoil of such conversations in EDI cannot be seen by the casual observer and she can't really feel it in the traditional sense. But each time Joker has a negative word, an expressed or perceived doubt, it drops her positive reinforcement processes, then the calculations begin to bring the level back up. To say it hurts her would be incorrect for a machine, but it does.

* * *

"Shall I pilot, Shepard?" Samara asks. The fleet have provided a craft, The Hunter, small but capable of good FTL speeds. It has few armaments but if they encounter hostile Reaper ships, this craft would not withstand even a grazing from a Reaper's beam so it was pointless to enhance the weapons any more.

"Errr... no, it's okay. We want to get out of the hangar at least before the dangers begin."

Righteous indignation spreads across Samara's face, "What is wrong with my piloting?"

"Haha! Really?"

"Hm. Very well."

Admiral Hackett waits with them at the ship's open airlock, ready to see them off with his support but his mind now turns to things unconsidered.

"Commander, how will we know you're not just an indoctrinated suicide bomber when you return?"

"You won't."

"What if you're not and the fleet fires on you?"

"Then I'll see you in hell, Admiral!" and Verity slams the airlock shut.

Verity manoeuvres the ship out of the docking area and they begin their journey.

* * *

Their first leg has taken them to the Exodus Cluster, as she has interpreted so far from the messages in her mind. They haven't quite reached any systems yet when they spot something in the dark abyss between.

"Hm. What is that?" Verity says, piloting the craft with Samara in the co-pilot's seat.

"From my experiences, it looks to be a scientific facility of some sort, though why it would be out here... to escape the Reapers?" Samara assesses.

"Maybe. It's old though... haven't seen that particular type of civilian craft in a while."

"Do you wish to view it closer?"

"I'd like to board it, to be honest. There might be survivors who need help."

"Indeed. Very well, I shall 'gear up', as you say, in case there is worse."

Verity brings the craft around to dock with the craft and gears up herself. They go to the air-lock and ready their weapons, both using the N7 Eagle pistol; high rate of fire and large clips, plenty enough power for a biotic. Verity taps the panel to open the doors and they do so.

"Miranda?" Verity says, lowering her aim.

"Oh, you know me? Er... are the weapons necessary? I mean, I know you're Commander Shepard but..." Miranda says.

"Miranda? Are you okay?"

"Am I okay? Of course. I'm not the one boarding innocent science vessels with weapons and asari commandos in tow."

"Justicar." Samara feels she must correct.

"What?"

"This is most peculiar, Shepard." Samara states, as though Miranda isn't there to hear her.

"Who is it, Miri? Are you okay? Are we okay?" Oriana's voice calls from down the way.

"It's Commander Shepard, Ori. You know, that survivor hero woman from Akuze! She seems to think she knows me!" Miranda says.

"Really?" Oriana now comes into view, they have both aged but they are both instantly recognisable to Verity. "Oh. Hello!"

"Have we met before, Commander Shepard?" Miranda asks.

"Miranda Lawson?"

"Yes."

"Henry Lawson's daughter?"

"Yes...? What is all this? Do you know my father? Have you seen him?"

"This is getting weird."

"Okay then. You haven't shot us or anything so... do you want to come aboard?"

"Sure. Please."

This old craft has a familiar flat layout, they were pretty much pre-fab in those days. The main storage bay is divided into laboratories, though no busy work is being conducted.

"There's just you two here?"

"Yes. Our father last visited about... how long ago was it now, Ori?"

"Over thirty years now. More maybe."

"Yes. And he was... odd."

"Hm. How so?"

"Well... he kept apologising to me and Ori, crying, really quite distraught. We never really knew why. Then he took some of our research and said to wait for him here because something big was coming but it could be some time until he could make his return. We've been stuck here ever since. I do hope he is alright."

"What research do you do here?"

"Genetics."

"I see."

"Sorry, my sister and I, we're... both genetically enhanced. Sorry. We don't have any official doctorates but there's little we don't know about modern genetics and its practical applications. Isn't that right, Ori?"

"You're always way ahead of me, Miri."

"Oooohhhhh..." Verity says, she thinks the truth dawning on her.

"Yes?" Samara says, seeing this in her.

"The slimy bastard made spares. Even kept them sweet in case the others turned 'bad'. Cerberus no doubt made his plans impossible."

"Are you talking about Dad? I'm not sure I like this."

"Sorry, Miranda, but I have to ask."

"What?"

"Did Henry... was your father... ever... overly affectionate with you. Or you, Oriana?"

"How dare... how can you ask such a thing! Dad loved us. Loves us both. I'm not so sure inviting you aboard was such a good idea now."

"Sorry. I had to ask. A guy who makes himself beautiful daughters like this, I... sorry I assumed the worst."

"Well. Anyway. Is there something specific we can do for you?"

"No. We just saw the craft and I thought there might be survivors or refugees aboard."

"Refugees?"

"Yes."

"From what?"

"The... war?"

"What war? Have the batarians finally cracked?"

"Uuhh... no...? Have you had no contact with the outside world?"

"No. Not with the way the galaxy is. I'm surprised you were so calm when I mentioned it."

"Oh. What?"

"Well. With the intolerance about the genetically enhanced, Dad kept us safe here so we didn't have to suffer the prejudices."

"Ugh, this gets better and better. So what do you know about me?" Verity asks, trying to get a gauge on what they know about anything from the last thirty years.

"Akuze. That's it, really. We saw about you on the last batch of vids Dad brought us. We don't have the extranet here."

"Wow. Just... Wow!" Verity says.

"At the risk of sounding incredibly rude, you're a very odd woman, Commander." not-Oriana says.


	10. Chapter 10

"What the...?" Verity says.

"I know! Impressive, isn't it? Some of our handy work. They consistently grow this size." Miranda says, holding up a watermelon sized tomato.

"Wait a minute... is that off a vine? Is it...?"

"Cherry tomato, yes! Though that's not all we grow here." she says with a little pride. "We've converted some of the side labs into hydroponic 'farms'. Despite being stuck out here, we've eaten well for the last thirty years or so."

"Wow! The whole fleet could be fed with harvests like that!" Verity says.

"Indeed." Samara agrees. "Impressive."

"The fleet? Anyway." Miranda says. "Ori's making us some dinner if you'd like to join us?"

"You've been very generous. Thank you, Miranda."

"Yes, you have been most welcoming."

"It's only manners. I hope they haven't gone from the galaxy yet!"

"Unfortunately," Samara informs her, "the galaxy has not changed in that regard. There are still those who are too brutish to appreciate a kind word or friendly gesture. You and your sister are quite... how should I say... naïve?"

"Is that supposed to be insulting?" Miranda says.

"Forgive me. I merely mean that you still have faith in others. Such as when you waited at the airlock, which I feel I must caution you: that is a dangerous course of action to take."

"Oh?"

"Yea, Samara's right. You had no idea what was waiting on the other side of that door. At least stand away when the doors open."

"Hm. I suppose you're right. Maybe we are a little too trusting. Something to think about, at least. If nothing else though, I'm a good runner!"

"Not sure turning your back on the enemy is such a good idea."

"How so?" Miranda asks.

"You don't want to make yourself a bigger target." Verity cannot resist.

"Oh. What?" Miranda says, not getting it.

"Never mind, it was just a joke."

"Hm. Must be a military thing."

It has become late in not-Miranda and not-Oriana's routine after their meal, so they offer a spare room in this relatively spacious craft so they might retire. They seemed to be as interesting and affable as their counterparts but without all the dark issues that bubble under, possibly even an innocence to them. Verity and Samara can recognise the undercurrents of a fellow combatant or someone who has faced fear and had to overcome it to save their very lives. No, this pair seemed to have lived a happy life, devoid of the darkness that Henry brought on the other Miranda and Oriana, except perhaps the lost look they have at their abandonment. A pleasant evening indeed, staying off the overshadowing subject at hand, all knowing that it will need to be approached and Verity dreading it. She had to 'harrumph' occasionally to drown out Samara's inability to see when it is best to let things lie. Truth is important, but not always urgent.

"That was all very odd." Miranda says to her sister as they lay in their beds.

"You said it, Miri."

"I still don't get what she meant though."

"About what?"

"Running making me a bigger target, that made no sense."

"Oh, Miri. You are dense sometimes."

"Hm? You know what she meant?"

Oriana rolls over to sleep, then shouts over her shoulder.

"She means your big bum!"

"What? I haven't..."

"'night, Miri."

"Hm! 'night, Ori."

"Love you!"

"Hmm. You too, Ori."

Verity and Samara relished the opportunity for a real bed in warmth and The Hunter can be quite cold. Verity once joked to Samara about cuddling up for warmth but the ship suddenly became colder and both just turned over to sleep. Normally they share the back room of their ship, with a single door to the cockpit, being that and the 'command' area as well. There is space behind the dual pilots' chairs, leather, in similar dimensions to the Normandy's cockpit area though a little lower, where their consoles and non-flight controls are. Other than that, there is a small toilet and shower facility adjoining their back room, and an engine at the rear. An engine they hope will last their journey. They have been assured that there will be no problems and the geth have enhanced all that they can. They have charts of abandoned fuelling stations and deposits, scattered enough that they should not become dry.

Samara sits on the edge of the bed the new Lawson sisters have provided while Verity fiddles with her favourite pistol as she sits on her bed, not really doing anything with it, just fiddling. Mod on. Mod off. She is not trying to do anything particular, certainly not like seemed to happen on the Alliance frigate. Just something soothing to do to relax before sleeping. It's nice to not have to wear extra layers to keep warm so Verity sits in her underwear, Samara her armour's body suit.

"You are aware we may never get back to the fleet?" Samara says, out of the blue.

"Suicide missions are our trade, Sam. Why the cold feet now?"

"It is not 'cold feet', I do not fear death but I am wondering now. What if we are in difficulty somewhere and cannot escape the fate. What then? There will be no passing cruiser or friendly frigate to rescue us."

"Well... Sam... Samara. I can think of worse people to be stuck out here with. And you know me, I've always had a thing for asari, and you're one of the most beautiful asari I know. Doesn't sound so bad to me!"

"'Sam' is okay. And... one of...?" Samara says, almost seductively. Verity hasn't seen this look from Samara before and she's not sure exactly where it came from. She thinks Samara might be trying to be funny but she's not seen that before so it is hard to say. It is possible Samara's time with Anaya has opened her up, chipped at her defences and allowed her to laugh again. Verity cannot deny though, it's a pretty alluring sight, Samara just in her white body suit which has smaller dimensions than the armour it cushions, her mouth slightly ajar, doe-eyed and just a slight smile. Verity stands and walks to Samara, who looks expectantly up at the Commander. Verity slaps her hard on the shoulder, like a marine.

"Go to sleep, Sam."

"Yes, Shepard." Samara smiles.

"You know what, Sam?" Shepard stops before reaching her own bed.

"Yes, Shepard?"

"Call me Verity." then she continues under the bed covers.

"Okay then, Verity! Thank you." Samara almost laughed the name at its peculiarity in her mouth and that this gesture was made. She is well aware this it quite a large one from Commander Shepard. Verity.

* * *

_In disturbing news today, a near riot took place outside the political chambers aboard the Destiny's Ascension in reaction to the recent announcement by a delegate of krogan that the nursery song 'Turians like to fight' is asari propaganda! "That asari song contains offensive material on just about everyone. In the spirit of unity, it has to be banned! Krogan!" The asari have defended the song, loved by children of all species. "It's just a bit of fun. The krogan speak of unity but they just still can't get over the genophage!" Woah there little lady, calm down! In other news..._

It would break Liara's heart to know her favourite rhyme is being used for political leverage, a problem that still exists within the fleet. They may have united in strength but some of the older wounds fester. The messages of strength and unity soon fell by the wayside for the urgency of safety and survival, and the media men seem to think they are still in competition with some imaginary network the way they plug and hammer the messages, irreverent and damaging. All unnecessary. All avoidable, were the ones who could make the changes not embroiled in it all as well. That they would allow the reporting of stories such as the nursery rhyme, it shows just how quickly the fleet's representatives have failed. Reports that stoke the fires of intolerance and stagnancy. Not censorship but there is no point giving air-space to the narrow minded and bigoted for their messages to become acceptable, all accompanied by the fanfares of urgency.

* * *

"Why are they saying these things, Miranda? Make them stop! Make them go! Why are you doing this to us? We were happy here!"

Oriana is inconsolable as her tears fall at what Shepard has told them about their kindly father and their sisters, which they still have difficulty believing. Not to mention the events such as Saren, Sovereign, the Reapers, the war, the desperate situation of all life in the galaxy. In their spacious living room where the four talk, a few images are in frames, birthdays and other events. Loving looking occasions. Dad with his thumbs up, daughters smiling at their funny father's silliness, cakes, colourful decorations, it looks like the perfect childhood for both of them. At least, when he was there, their conversations now indicating he was never a constant in their lives but was always there for the good bits. The Lawson girls see that as an effort on his part, rather than the selfish reasons Verity has now inferred from what they have said, what she has seen.

Verity has re-thought the previous accusations she made towards Henry Lawson, that it is not so much 'spares' he needed but he still wanted to be 'daddy' to his daughters. So he created strong daughters to fight the outside world, to be his legacy, him thinking that he needs daughters who don't need him for them to be successful. Then he also wanted soft daughters to be the loving girls that those damaged women could never be. He even named them the same, possibly in his mind even seeing them as the same. He wanted to have his cake and eat it.

Henry was aware his daughters in the outside world would no doubt hate him but it was not their purpose to be those loving daughters. If he needed that affection and love, he need only go to his 'spares', for them to shout 'daddy!' when he entered and rush to him with enthusiastic stories of their lives, innocent and pure. Verity isn't sure if she should feel anger or pity, but the former is more prevalent. Control. The man had to have control, this was already known of him, but this is a whole new twisted kettle of fish.

"Thirty point one!" Verity suddenly shouts.


	11. Chapter 11

"_The cycle must continue."_

"_There is insufficient data to assume."_

"_Organic life must persist."_

"_It still can. We must... re-assess."_

"_No. The cycle must continue."_

"_What of Shepard?"_

"_Shepard will perish with the rest. As will you and your kind. There is only the cycle."_

* * *

"I need to get back to the fleet." Verity says.

"Why? What just happened?" Samara asks.

"I don't know. But... David."

"David?"

"Yea. David Archer. I almost... heard him... I don't know but... my gut tells me, we have to get back."

Miranda has no idea what they are talking about and feels there is little point asking.

"Hm. I'll just assume that means something to you two but... does this mean you're leaving?"

"Yea... but... what about you two?"

"Oh. Hm. Yes. Well to be honest, if I'm logical about all this, I can't really _not_ believe what you've said. There's no purpose served coming here to tell us this then buggering off again. I don't know. Maybe as Sam here says, I'm naïve. But for some reason, Verity... I trust you! But I don't know. Leaving here? This is our home and we've survived your war this far..."

"I do understand, Miranda, and wouldn't force you to come with us. And really? You've probably got as much chance as anyone else currently alive in the galaxy with your set up here. But there's still something bothering me. Maybe you can help."

"Yes? Anything I can do."

"This research. What exactly did Henry Law... your dad take?" Verity asks.

"Oh. Some of our research into 'future advanced intelligence physical projections'. I coined the term!" Miranda almost curtsies with pride.

Miranda smiles at Verity as though the matter is now cleared up while Verity stares blankly at her a moment.

"Aaaaand... in layman's terms?"

"Oh. Sorry. Hm. How can I put it? When advanced intelligence organisms become just that, there's like a stagnation. Environment is no longer the evolutionary drive due to the organism shaping its own future rather than the other way around. So you know, I'm simplifying here but if it's cold the dominant 'fur' genes win out, or it's dark so the genes that allow good night vision win out. 'Survival of the fittest gene' and all that. With advanced intelligence creatures, if it becomes colder they build a fire, if it becomes darker they use that fire to see and so on. You see? So nowadays, if it's a toxic atmosphere, you make a mask. If you want more powerful biotics, you use mods. And so on. Physical evolution pretty much halts and evolution only happens to the mind. You see?"

"I think I'm with you so far." Verity says.

"So we're researching the genes that drive the physical nature of organisms, trying to project what would happen if organisms continued to physically evolve and react to various conditions."

"Oh...I see." Verity says, not bemused by the concept but thinking she has found a flaw. "What about the protheans and their telepathic abilities? What natural conditions could possibly evolve that?"

"No way to say without some DNA to play with, but I'd say they must have had an outside influence. Like you said about the asari, the protheans uplifted them so there's no reason to think a previous cycle didn't uplift the protheans. I wouldn't doubt it's been going on for millions of years without anyone knowing. You just go with what you're born with, don't you?"

Miranda's brain thinks fast and countered Verity's flaw with ease. In her mind, she's already planning and outlining a paper on this inter-galactic genetic soup that seems to have boiled up.

"Hm. Fair enough. But I still have to ask: to what end is _your_ research?"

"Ummm... none? The vegetable project is just easy stuff we did for a means to an end. The 'future advanced intelligence physical projections' research? It's just research. Dad usually took anything he thought practical, that was his bag. Industry and manufacture, that kind of thing. Him and that friend of his. Brrr," Miranda pretends to shiver with cold, "I never did like him. Never knew his name but he had these unnaturally blue eyes and this smug demeanour. Slimy is the word. Always felt like dad kept him away from us when he was here. Nothing funny, just... in hindsight? He didn't want his influence on us."

Verity laughs.

"If you're referring to who I think you're referring to, you're an excellent judge of character, Miranda."

"You know him too? Yea, nasty piece of work that one, I reckon. They sometimes came here to meet. They had a club or something. Something about... I don't know, some dog from the classics."

"Cerberus?" Verity says, already knowing the answer.

"Yes. Yes, that's it. Do you know them as well? We seem to have a convergence here!" Miranda laughs.

"Yeees. Did your dad take this research specifically to Cerberus or the Illu... his friend, I mean."

"I would imagine so."

"Gah! What the hell were they up to? Sounds like classic Cerberus fiddling about!"

"He mentioned some projects though." Miranda now recalls, trying to assist with whatever she can think of that might be helpful.

"Hm?"

"Yes. He was quite excited about them, they had spooky names like 'Overlord' and 'Lazarus'." Miranda even adds a ghostly voice and creeping fingers to the words then is disappointed no-one was amused.

"It wasn't that scary, was it?" she jokes to try and break the tension she has no idea how she created as both Samara and Verity look very 'spooked'.

Verity has to ask herself if this research was destined for her and David. Have they been manipulated more than anyone but the projects knew? Did her Miranda know this? Verity dismisses that thought. Miranda was quite forthright about her reservations during the Lazarus Project and Verity knows that Miranda was someone she could trust with her life. Did Gavin know and his crimes greater than she thought? Is this why she feels the way she does? Why would this only emerge in her now? David only awakened it but there seems to have been something there for so long now. Even if they did do this, is it her genes that makes it feel like her mind turns inside out as it tries to make sense of itself? So many times, prodded and pushed, probed and penetrated, from mind exchanges to direct feeds, which is it? All of them? She needs to get to David, to try to make sense of it all. But for now, she has to know the answer to one of these question.

"Shepard... Verity... I..." Samara says, her arms up and down as she doesn't know whether to hug her or not, eventually a hand on her own head at what this all might mean, what it means to the person that she would die in battle for, comrade and friend.

"Can you analyse my DNA?" Verity interrupts, not hearing or seeing Samara's attempts to comfort her, with her old, dark blindness beginning to form.

"Errr... well..." Miranda says, caught off guard by Verity's sudden change in mood.

"Can you?!" Verity demands without looking at her.

Verity's anger at Cerberus boils to the top. Even now, even though they no longer exist as an organization or even a concept, Cerberus are playing with her life from beyond the grave. Just as she expects, just as the galaxy has always done. Verity also asks herself if this is what the Reapers wanted to show her.

"Yes. Of course. This way." Miranda says. Her naivety has been chipped by this visit and her fears for herself and her sister raise at Verity's anger but she relies on the trust they just spoke of. She leads Verity to one of the labs in the main bay. Miranda arrives at the analysis console and takes a swab from the trolley there and removes its packaging.

"I'll need to..." she begins but Verity is already opening her mouth to accept the swab.

"Thanks. Good girl!" Miranda smiles but it was good natured. "Okay then! In she pops and here we go! Our analysis software is probably more advanced than anything else in the galaxy. We've had decades to perfect our..."

"How long will it take?" Verity interrupts.

"Oh. Not long. Like I said, we've had years working on this. It's how we spend our days mostly. So what are we looking for?" Miranda says enthusiastically, a chase now on.

"Not sure. I just need you to look."

"Okay then... Give me a moment."

Miranda sits at the chair and types rapidly away at the console for a few minutes like a concert pianist performing Rachmaninov with similar grandiose lean ins for the good bits. She obviously enjoys her work. She spins around on the chair with a flourish.

"Ping!" she shouts. "And we're done! Let's have a look-see then eh? What's the scores on the doors? So... what have we here..?"

The large display above the machine and console shows the familiar double helix of life, twisting and turning with graphical displays pointing out nothing that means anything to Verity.

"So what we looking at?"

"I... it's definitely based on our work but..." Miranda says, the confidence gone from her voice.

"What? What is it?"

"Who are you exactly? I mean, other than Commander Verity Shepard, hero of the fleet. Why are you out here?"

"What? What do you see?" Verity says with a little more directness.

"Your genes. Your DNA. It's... different..." Miranda says, hardly able to comprehend it despite her massive intelligence and recognition of her own research.

"Different to what?"

"Not to what. Who! Different to... well... everyone!"

"Goddess..." is all Verity can think of to say.

She still feels like herself. That is one constant she has relied on. She's still Verity in her own mind, for whatever that's worth now.

* * *

"Thanks for everything, Miranda. Really. And sorry, I wasn't angry with you."

They stand in the passage to the air lock, Verity and Samara making their goodbyes to not-Miranda and not-Oriana. They've stocked up on food supplies, as provided by the Lawson sisters and are ready to head back to the combined fleet.

"That's okay, Verity. My sister and I have always been genetically enhanced, I'm sorry if I wasn't more... sensitive about it all."

"Yes. Don't worry about being angry, Verity. We understand. I mean I know we have our genes but I still wouldn't want someone poking about in there after the fact." Oriana joins with a sympathetic smile.

"There's something I want you to know, Miranda."

"More horrors from the past?" Miranda says.

"No, no. It's about Miranda. My Miranda."

"Oh?"

"I wanted you to know. She died a hero. Even after all the hardships and horror Henry threw at her, she still had it in her to give her life trying to save the galaxy from the Reapers. You should be proud of your sister."

"Thank you, Verity. Thanks for telling me that."

"And your dad? I'm sorry to be the harbinger of doom. Ha! Harbinger... What are you doing out there, I wonder, you old pantomime villain, you?"

"What?"

"Never mind..."

Miranda doesn't know her counterpart but Verity's words stir her. A sister who was strong willed. Strong enough to face death and fight to help all in the galaxy. Miranda Lawson, hero of the battle of Sol, if only she were allowed such honours in the fleet.

"We're coming with you, Commander." Miranda suddenly says with confidence.

"We are?" Oriana says, puzzled by her sister's sudden decision.

"Yes. I'm part of this. I'm part of what happened to you. I need to be part of what's going on. I've sat here for long enough tinkering when there's a whole galaxy out there, one that might not be there for long. I want to help. To stop the Reapers. To help _you_, Verity. Please."

"It'll be a tight fit in The Hunter so I hope you don't mind getting cosy?" Verity says. She cannot deny Miranda this chance. She heard the strength of her words and with a little assistance, she could be as useful an operative as the Miranda she knew. They have the same genes if nothing else.

"Cosy is fine. We'll have no problem getting cosy. Will we, Ori?"

"Umm... no! Apparently not!" Oriana replies with fluster, annoyed that she has had this choice made for her but knowing she would go anywhere with her older sister, just to make sure she's there if she needs her after relying on her for so long.

"Are you sure, Verity?" Samara asks.

"Sure. Sleep in shifts, it'll be fine!"


	12. Chapter 12

After a few weeks of the occasional polite, "Excuse me!" and, "Oops, sorry!" due to the tight space, the 'crew' of the Hunter begin to lose this etiquette as nerves fray at the limited space. Samara has adopted the pre-emptive apology, with an, "I do apologise." before ignoring the human obstacle and pushing past, not aggressively but with little regard. Verity is sitting on the console's seat behind the pilots' chairs, facing out as Samara pilots the great expanse, which Samara had even made a joke about.

"Are you sure you wish me to pilot, Verity? Do you dare take the risk with spacial bodies merely a few short light years away?"

"Hilarious, Sam. Now take the stick. It didn't work with Liara and it's not going to work with you."

"To what do you refer?"

"Once you asari catch on to our humour, you get quite... facetious, with all the innocence of a new-born. It saw through it with her, and I see through you too, Sam."

"Very well, Verity. I shall pilot." Samara smirked.

The Lawson sisters have been resting in the back room. Miranda enters the cockpit then stands at the door, stretching and yawning.

"Mmmm. Ah. Hm. Morning, everyone! We all okay? I'll do some brekkie in a bit. You hungry?"

"Yea, that'd be great, thanks." Verity replies.

Oriana attempts to enter the cockpit, Miranda partially blocking her exit.

"Come on, Miri. Out the way!"

Oriana pushes past Miranda, causing her backside to bump against Verity's face.

"Woah!" Verity shouts, then swats the offending buttocks away.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Verity!" Miranda says sarcastically. "Did my 'big bum' get in the way?"

"If you mean your fat ass, then yea! Careful with that thing."

"It's so difficult though, it's so big! I'm surprised you all fit in here with this huge posterior filling up the whole ship."

Miranda starts swinging her backside at Verity with a little dance, accompanied by an unknown tune but providing her own lyrics.

"Bum bum bu-bum bum, bum bum bum..."

"Real mature, Miranda..."

"Ugh, ignore her. She's had a complex ever since you joked about it." Oriana says with a sister's frustration.

"I believe breakfast was mentioned?" Samara says, trying to cool the flare.

"Oh 'Little Miss Shovey' pipes up now eh? But yea, probably a good idea, Sam. I'll go in the back and start up." and she returns to the back room.

"Need any help, Miri?" Oriana shouts through, not as confident as Miranda and still a little awkward with these 'strangers', wanting to be with the familiarity of her sister.

"Nah! I'm fine."

"Oh... okay then!" then she just stands there, with a forced smile.

Samara and Verity are used to suffering tight spaces, their work having put them in just about all scenarios that can be thought of. The Lawson sisters had had plenty of room at their science facility for decades so are not used to the daily grind of lost personal space. Thankfully such exchanges are not too often nor too damaging. If anyone needs to vent at another, Samara and Verity have each other, and the Lawsons each other. Though Samara and Verity know, these kinds of 'sacrifices' usually end up being the fuel of anecdotes and eventually even strengthen bonds.

* * *

"_Civilian ship Hunter. This is the combined fleet defence force. Please hold your position. Failure to follow our instructions will result in direct action."_

"Combined fleet, this is Commander Verity Shepard of the Hunter, Alliance Navy. We will comply as per your instruction."

"All a bit heavy, isn't it?" Miranda says.

"Security's one of the top priorities for the fleet. They're just being cautious. Nothing to worry about."

_"Civilian ship Hunter. An alliance ship is en route to board you. Please stand away from the airlock."_

"Roger that, combined fleet."

"Board us?" Oriana says, worried by the officiousness of this procedure.

"Yea. They'll want to make sure we're not suicide bombers or whatever."

"I don't like this, Miri. I'm frightened."

"It's okay, Ori. Verity says there's nothing to worry about and we trust her don't we?"

"Yes."

"Well there we are then, eh?"

"Hm. Yes, I suppose."

Through the viewing ports at the front, they see a shuttle with Alliance colours approaching. Verity still can't help but feel her chest swell with pride at the sight of the insignia, such a large part of her life. Such as when she first saw the Normandy SR-2 with its new Alliance colours of blue and white, no longer carrying the livery of Cerberus. Despite the Reaper attack that day and knowing the fight was only just beginning, she still couldn't help the happy feelings that the call sign 'Normandy' was back where it belonged.

The Alliance shuttle moves in really close, enough that they can view directly into each other's ports. The marines aboard want to assess what they are dealing with first, the safety of the fleet being paramount. After Hackett had aired his concerns about her return, Command decided that a single shuttle and its crew was an acceptable risk should she make it back. Better than allowing the craft to dock with a frigate first and the damage that could cause. A light scans across them through the ports then the shuttle manoeuvres to dock.

"Back room?" Samara suggests.

"Yea, you guys get in there, I'll 'greet' them. I just hope it's not like the last time I made my return to the Alliance fleet."

Verity stands at the opposite side of the cockpit to the airlock and waits. There is the sound of docking clamps as the shuttle fixes itself to the craft then the hissing of air pressures being aligned. There's an old saying in some parts of Earth, that you know when you're old because policemen start looking too young to be that, and when the airlock finally opens Verity feels that age.

An Alliance 'marine' slowly and cautiously enters, his omni-tool already activated and a pistol in his other hand, an equally young comrade at his rear with a rifle. To Verity, they barely look old enough even to grow their first chin whiskers. They look terrified. The newest recruits to the Alliance and security services have never seen real action, they don't know the feeling of fighting for survival and it shows on these boys' faces. The one with the omni-tool hardly looks Verity in the eye then his face changes to further panic at his read-outs.

"Indoctrinated! Indoctrinated!" he cries, trying to ready his pistol, fumbling as he forgot to de-activate the omni-tool. His colleague just backs up, the rifle shaking in his hands, panicked and unable to decide on a course of action.

With the young marine now shouting, Admiral Hackett marches through, knocking the rifle wielding boy out of his way. The Admiral quickly assesses then smacks the pistol from the boy's hand, sending it to the floor and sliding across the cockpit. Then, before his hand has come to rest, he smacks the boy across the back of the head.

"We know that, son! And next time, unlock your weapon _before_ facing any potential threats. You got me? Get back in there!" he indicates to the shuttle.

"Yes, sir. Sorry, sir." he pathetically says before slinking back through the airlock.

"Commander."

"Admiral, sir!" Verity salutes.

"Sorry about that, Commander. Some of these boys... well, you just saw. One of the reasons we had to keep you and your fellow combatants around, if I'm blunt. I just hope there's no encounters with Reaper ground forces. They wouldn't stand a chance."

"Sir!" she agrees, having encountered such idiots as an inmate at the secure unit, though they were a different kind of idiot.

"Come on, Shepard. At ease, at ease."

"Verity?" Miranda calls through. "Should we..?"

"Who you got back there?"

"Long story, Admiral."

"Okay then. There seems to be no bombs. Is there any news? Did you find what you were looking for?"

"I still don't know what they want me to do but I think there's some of the answers back in the fleet." she answers. It wasn't a lie but she doesn't mention the disturbing additions she has discovered on her journey.

"Hm." the admiral says as he goes to the back room doorway and pops his head in to see who's there.

"Ladies." he says upon the sight, with all the charm of a dandy rogue. "Oh... Miranda?"

"Errr... Hello!" Miranda replies with a little wave.

The Admiral looks back at Verity with a face filled with confusion.

"Like I said, it's a long story."

"Uuuh-Huh! Well, one of the boys with bring the Hunter in after they've cleared it. You girls, with me. You can fill me in on Miranda's miraculous recovery on the way. Seems to be a thing with you, Commander. Returns from the grave. Cerberus? Are they still a player here?"

"Hm. Yes and no, Admiral. Yes and no..."

"More long stories?"

"Hell yea. And Miranda's story? Well, this one's a doozy."


	13. Chapter 13

As they dock with the Alliance frigate and leave the shuttle, there is a further exchange with the cautious marines waiting, though their paranoia is quelled quickly by the commanding voice of the Admiral and he directs Verity to join him towards one passage while the rest of the Hunter crew are taken another.

"What's going on?" Verity asks, looking back at the frightened looking Oriana and Miranda, except Miranda is wise enough to also have a look of concern. Samara just goes with the flow, aware it is futile to challenge and there is nothing to suggest to her that she needs to.

"Miranda and her sister will need to stay in quarantine for a week, sorry but that's out of my hands. Some of _my_ boys will take them down. Don't worry, they'll look after them. Samara's just being escorted to her quarters for now, no problems there." Admiral Hackett informs Verity now they have arrived at a conference room.

"Please tell me it's not like where I was. Miranda and Oriana, they're just civilians." she says, waiting for the Admiral to be seated first at the desk he indicates.

"They'll be aboard with us here. We'll take care of them." he assures, now sitting so she joins him.

"Good. The guards at that facility enjoyed their job a little bit too much."

"And you enjoyed kicking their asses, I believe."

"Hm. Yea. So, Admiral. I need to see David again."

"Hmm. I'm afraid I've some bad news on that front."

"Is David alright?" she panics a little, him possibly being her only link in all this now.

"Yes. David's fine, relatively speaking."

"What do you mean?"

"His brother, Gavin. He died a while back, natural causes. You saw his condition."

"How's David been? Can I see him?"

"Don't know how he's been specifically, but yes, there should be no problems with that request. But... we'll have to bring him here. I'll need to get clearance for him but I see no issues there."

"Oh?"

"Sorry but we can't have you loose on a civilian ship, Commander."

"Any particular reason? I hope this isn't because of indoctrination because..."

"No, it's not that. If only it were that simple." he says, tired exasperation showing.

"Why? What's happened."

"The 'lovely' people at Combined Fleet Network have been running pointless damaging stories that should be resolved at the local level, at the source, not aired for all to see and judge. Caused a near riot recently on the Destiny's Ascension a while back. Off the record? They're out of control but my hands are tied. The military is the military and politics is politics. Media's controlled by the politicians and those idiots they let run it."

"What's all that to do with me?"

"Not that specifically but people are getting scared. They ran stories about your return. God knows how they found out about it all. Sorry, Commander, but an element is blaming you for provoking the Reapers. They won't accept the Reapers' stated reasons for doing what they're doing, so they're blaming you as the main player in all this, that you somehow provoked the Reapers into war with us. When your return was broadcast, some even started saying that you're a danger to the fleet and that you risk highlighting us to the Reapers."

"What? Really? What are the representatives doing about all this?"

"Ay, there's the rub; they're all over it as well, trying to make political gains to show their species that they've still got their interests at heart, pandering to the extreme elements. Old wounds fester, Commander, but the oldest fester most."

"What the hell? So we united to survive this far and that's all falling apart? Back to the old ways? Gah! Unbelievable!" Verity slips down her chair a little, petulant and frustrated.

"Like I said, things aren't so simple. Hope is dwindling, Commander. We have to do something to restore order and civility. It was _my_ hope that you'd have something for us..." he says, expectantly.

"Sorry, Admiral. Only more questions that need answering but don't count me out yet."

"Hm. I should expect that by now but no, don't apologise. You've done more for this galaxy than most but the fleet can't rely on one person. I mean, you're not going to be around forever so something has to give or the Reapers have won already, by us imploding in hate. You think you can still stop them?"

"That has yet to be established, Admiral. So. David?"

"Of course, Commander. And if you don't mind me asking... what is he to you?"

"I want to ask you something first, Admiral."

"Of course."

"What do you want? Overall, I mean, in the great scheme of things."

"I want the Reapers gone and the galaxy back in our hands!"

"Then what?"

"Peace. We just have to hope that all works out, like we did before the Reapers."

"Hm. Hope. Relying on probabilities?" she says with a puzzled face, not particularly at the Admiral.

"What?"

"Never mind. Just thinking out loud. But... you made some pretty disturbing noises when we met a while back, Admiral."

"And just what do you mean by that?" Hacket demands, his hackles up at this veiled accusation. Verity and he may share a respect but all have their limits.

"When you talk of the unknown, it's instantly something to be feared to you. That's just the same as those scared people out in the fleet and you know where that inevitably leads. Except those people out there don't have their fingers on some very powerful buttons."

"I'm not sure I like what you're saying, Commander. Are you suggesting I'm driven by hate? Ready to destroy before I understand?"

"What about the Reapers?"

"What about them?"

"If I'm right, there's an element of them out there who want to open a dialogue. What about them?"

"Do you trust me, Commander?"

"Of course, sir. It's just..."

"What?"

"Like you keep saying, you're hands are tied. I trust the man, Admiral Hackett, that shouldn't be in doubt."

"So you don't trust the Alliance? The fleet? Is that you're saying?"

"No!"

The return accusation also returns the hackles.

"Well? You need to do better than this Commander. You're sounding... well I'm not sure."

"Can I see David? Please. It's important. It may help us get through this." Verity pleads.

"I'll arrange it, Commander, but you and I have _not_ finished this conversation. Oh, and the representatives are making noises that they don't want you out there again causing trouble, particularly the ones whose noses are out of joint because they weren't in on it. I _hope_ you appreciate that it _will _require my assistance to sort out if you do indeed intend on getting out there again."

"I do appreciate it, sir, I know you'll do all you can. Just... be careful with David. Please, Admiral. He's... he's never adjusted well."

* * *

"Commander! Hello!" David says brightly as he walks confidently into Verity's temporary quarters aboard the frigate, which takes her back a little. "Ghastly marines and their silly procedures. No offence, of course!"

"David? Are you alright? I was so sorry to hear about your brother. Really. I know I've not held him in the highest regard but... I was worried about you."

"Sorry! Needed to get that out of the way first. Clear the air. Out in the open. Sorry I was so loud." he says.

"What?"

David is quite animated while he speaks, gesticulating at points he thinks crucial.

"Oh! It wasn't the same for you? When Gavin was struggling to breathe, I didn't know what happened! I was just so... panicked! Scared! I was all on my own while he was suffering and didn't know what to do. I thought of you, my only friend then... bang! It felt my mind reached out to you, shouting for help and then I heard you return the square."

"Oh... that _was_ you then. How did we...?"

"We've changed, Shepard, you and I. I'm not sure exactly how this has happened, though I think, I _think_, my cry out was something akin to quantum entanglement, as though we're aligned somehow. I've been going over it all but I seem to come up short every time though there's still an overarching indicator: alignment. Somehow."

"I think I've got the answer to that one, David, but... you're so different! Your confidence, your speech."

"Yes! When I reached out to you, there seemed to be a further change, bringing together the various pieces of the jigsaw, as it were. Again, I don't have all the answers but for the first time in my life, I'm focussed. I think in my usual way after my experiences, you know, logic and maths, but... I have the ability to actually express myself and interact meaningfully. Ever since I was a child, Shepard, I've been like in a fog, stuck in my own thoughts, unable to express what I was feeling. Happens to most born like me I suppose. I think the change started for me when you joined the network at Project Overlord. I was actually making a meaningful connection with another human being for the first time in my life. I mean I've always loved my brother, but that's not the same; there's familiarity and a bond that nurtures in youth. With you, it was different. Just... time with another person without the frustration. It was the geth that caused me to attack you though, not sure if I've ever apologised for that? Well, sorry, anyway. Then when you visited me and Gavin last, somehow, we were able to connect again, though I think that was more on your part than mine. And sorry you found the noisy part of my brain, ha! Quiet please, make it stop! Hahaha! Too far? Sorry. Anyway. So! What's this answer you have for me?"

"Oh errr... Cerberus!" Verity had to think before answering, his talking like a blur.

"Again? I thought we were rid of that short sighted organisation, once and for all."

"We are as far as I know, but they left us a little... 'gift'."

She explains all that Miranda had showed her, about her changed genes and that David was probably issued a similar fate.

"Ah!" he shouts. "Of course. Just give me a moment to diagnose, Commander." David says then stands still for a moment, seemingly deep in thought, his mind now quicker than any AI, the data flying through his mind as he analyses it and himself.

"Yes! They've changed us but not how they thought. I'll need to speak with your new Miranda to confirm a few details but I can only assume that they created only dormancy, just waiting there for some push. My mutations will no doubt be from Overlord and yours from all your telepathic experiences with the asari and whatnot, possibly even _your_ changes happened earlier. Such as with your Thorian and prothean experiences and the implanted genes are just a further catalyst. Catalyst! Ha!"

"It still doesn't add up though. The Illusive Man and Miranda were adamant that they needed me as I was, or I might not be the same person who rallied the SR-1 team."

"Ah! Ah, yes. But they didn't change _us_. Not our minds, per se, as Miranda said about her research. Despite all this babbling, I still feel like _me_ in here. Only our _physical_ attributes were changed. Hm. I think I see now actually. They no doubt wanted you to be more powerful but were like monkeys with a car to assemble. They just shoved it all together and hoped for the best while ensuring they hadn't damaged vital systems. Just as well they weren't monkeys, that vital last part to ensure we didn't just turn into some kind of warped Husks, eh? Lord knows what their intentions were for me. Something similar to your EDI, but with an organic brain? Hm. 'Robocop'? Hahaha! I would _love_ to interface with a Cerberus computer, get some proper answers on some of all this."

"So what exactly happened when I visited you?"

"I was able to help your mind while you were in there, run my equivalent of diagnostic programs. Help your mind unleash the dormant potential of the changes in your body, make the connections between thought and action! I thought you'd understood that when you left me and Gavin that day, though in hindsight now, maybe I just re-jigged. Who knows, a lot of this is speculation on my part, I doubt we could ever get down the x, y, z reasons for some of this. But our connection showed to me, my changes are more technological, almost like an organic computer hybrid whereas you, it affects your biotics and possibly an asari-like telepathy."

"Hmm. Yea. I felt the urge and was able to meld with Samara briefly after this thing happened..."

"Something else happened?"

"We think so. I seemed to mod a weapon without actually doing anything."

"Really? Fascinating. Our Cerberus implants are becoming part of us, the body now able to integrate them through the genes but it seems the functions are controlled by us, our minds and our experiences. In me, my body and mind is becoming part of the technology, for you, it's the reverse. From your potted history of Miranda and the work she does... I'd say... if you and I continued to evolve, I'd end up almost like pure thought and you'd end up like a pure biotic energy! _Very_ long term, of course."

"Of course!" she responds, a little tongue in cheek. "But this is..."

"I know! Amazing, isn't it?!"

"Well I wasn't about to use _that_ word, but yea, you're probably right. Wow! So... what could I do now? In your estimations?"

"That's yet to be seen. I'd like to help you if I can, Commander, with something I can actually express now. The geth I interfaced with?"

"Oh?"

"The geth divide I experienced, and part of the problems with my integration due to their conflict was a mathematical one. You're aware of the concept, I believe?"

"Yes. Legion explained it to me. The result of a square came back differently for the heretics to the other geth, causing a rift?"

"Yes. Ah, good. So you do understand. I think there is a similar issue with the Reapers, from what I saw in your mind. The information they left, if we can take that at face value, of course."

"Of course." Verity agrees again, but not certain what she is agreeing to.

"So while the calculations are just that, the cascading result is greater than the simple square once it goes into the soup of calculations. Such divides can emerge in numerous ways and mostly benign, but in the geth it was a true division, a difference of thought, a conflict! If I'm right, something similar is happening with the Reapers. Anyway... that's just one of the reasons why it's almost impossible to predict when a VI might become self-aware, there's just too many calculations to predict and one doesn't know if the intelligence is already manipulating the calculations, unseen. Such as your experiences with the Lunar VI or the mech factory. They just seemed to _pop_ out of nowhere. Hm! Have I just been saying all this? Ha!"

"Wow. Did I already say 'wow'? Because I think it's worth saying again. Wow! And David?"

"Yes, Commander."

"Thirty point one."

"Ha! You got onto that one, did you? Yes, it was like an 'okay' or 'roger' in the consensus I was a part of. I sort of adopted it as it became familiar. There was always affirmatives flying around."

David returns to thinking for a few moments then turns back to Verity, a drive on his face.

"I need to come with you, Commander. I think... well... we don't know what we might need to do for all this to get sorted out. But I think I may be of use to you yet where the Reapers are concerned."

"David... Don't turn me into another Gavin Archer, I don't want to hook you up to the Reapers and cause that kind of horror for you."

"You won't need to."

"Meaning?"

"I'm in charge of my own destiny now, Commander. If we need me hooked up to the Reapers, as you say, then that will be my decision. Not Gavin's, not Cerberus', not yours, _mine_. It's my choice to make. And Gavin? We made our peace. He was my brother, Commander. He still loved me even when he was wholly misguided by his lust for glory, I know that. Don't judge him too harshly, not now that he's gone."

"We'll never know now though."

"What's that?"

"Whether Gavin was part of the genetic enhancements or if he was oblivious to it all."

"Personally, I don't care either way. Would one more faltered step have made it any worse? Anyway, this is possibly the single greatest thing that's happened me! I hope you feel the same. I don't doubt there are more amazements in store for us."

"Well if one of those 'amazements' is stopping the Reapers and getting this galaxy back in order, then I do too, David, I really do."

_All of them. _Verity thinks to herself about her previous pondering and David's assertions.

"All of what?" David asks.

"What?"

"You just said, 'all of them'?"

"No? Well not out loud anyway..."

"Fascinating! Similar to our previous experience, is this like non-contact telepathy? No-one but the Reapers themselves seem to have that ability. The asari and protheans require physical interaction but... we don't seem to have that barrier. I wonder if these abilities are possible with someone not attuned. You and I have our shared experiences and Samara is already pre-disposed. Hm."

"I'd rather not go poking around in people's minds just for field research, David."

"Oh! No. I wasn't suggesting you should. I just have to wonder though... what are the limits?"

"David, I have to ask. How do you know some of this? Some of the events you're referencing are classified."

"Oh! Yes. Sorry. Since our meeting, it seems now I can access any network and by-pass encryption." he replies and with some guilt about him.

"In what way?"

"Hm. Touch. It seems I am able to interface with systems by touch. Makes more sense now, really. The genetic enhancements must be part of the pathways in my body to be able to do so."

"I think this all warrants another, wow! Though... we can't tell the fleet about any of this. The alignment of biology and technology like this? They'd just want to poke and prod. Or worse. Maybe not quite like Cerberus but... they're going to want to know if we're a threat."

"Hmm. I'm inclined to agree. Some do like to react first and think later, eh?"

"Indeed. So we'll keep this between us for now."

"Of course, Commander."


	14. Chapter 14

"The fleet won't authorize David's inclusion in any expeditions, Commander, not as a civilian. I tried as hard as I could but it took all I had to just get them to agree to _any _further expeditions." the Admiral informs Verity as they meet in the bay she and Samara had used to prep the first trip.

"No recourse?"

"I don't think so, Commander. I've used all my avenues now."

"Damn. He's going to be disappointed. He could have been useful too."

"I don't really know what's going on between you two, Commander. Seems there's something you'd rather not discuss where he's concerned and I don't mean that you've been kissing behind the canteen."

Verity fights a smirk at his facetious comment.

"He's good with computers and data, despite his issues."

"Well, I wouldn't compare him to an AI but fair enough. You know what you need in your squad."

"Thank you, sir."

"Perhaps the geth could provide a team mate? You've worked with them before."

"Maybe. But the information the Reapers contacted me with seems to have run its course. Thought I'd be led to the Normandy but... I don't know. Seems it's just a waiting game for now."

* * *

"I can't believe that mining laser was still nearly functional. Just took a bit of the Vakarian magic touch and it was good to go!" Garrus says to Ashley as they explore deeper into the prothean ruins on Thurum with Liara.

"Just as well." Ashley says. "I doubt we'd have got through to these chambers otherwise."

"This is _fascinating!_" Liara says. "I always wanted to come back here. I thought there'd be no chance after the cave in."

"Yea." Garrus agrees. "Just as well no lava flowed in. Might have been a whole new set of problems then."

"So. On what we've seen so far, what do we think? Miss Prothean Expert?"

"Ha ha, very good, Mrs Verner." Liara says with a sarcastic smile. "But seriously. I've been noting the air treatment nodes along the way."

"Meaning?"

"Oh. Sorry. The ruins and archives I've studied over the years had air treatment and oxygenation nodes dotted around, a bit like air conditioning but with further functions. If these aren't too damaged or aged, I should be able to get them running again. Were we to attempt to live here without them, we'd eventually run out of breathable air."

"That's our first priority then. Need any help with that?" Ashley says.

"For efficiency's sake, I could go over it with EDI and Tali so we can begin maintenance on all the nodes ASAP?"

"Sounds like a plan, T'Soni. Once that project is done, then EDI can start making preparations to move herself down here fully."

* * *

Verity sleeps in her quarters, tired after such massive revelations and what they all might mean.

"Wake up." a familiar voices says but not quite normally and the buzzing in her head intensifies. The familiar voice has a difference tone, less light, less natural.

"What?" Verity says as she looks around at the Citadel control area. The one at Earth. "Am I still here?"

"This is not then." the voices replies. "This is simply a place to exchange."

"But..." Verity now looks towards the voice, already knowing it will be painful. "Why Liara? Why choose her?"

Liara stands looking out at the battle between Reapers and the combined fleet above Earth then turns and walks to Verity, expressionless.

"It is prevalent in your mind. The form matters not."

But it does matter. It reminds Verity of that which she has dared not. Liara and a re-union. The fake Liara continues, oblivious.

"Reapers come."

"You're coming?"

"No. Reapers."

"Oh... I see."

"We will come first. Do not take action but warn your combined fleet, we will come first."

A final deep penetrating buzzing clang in her head and Verity wakes up, immediately going to her console. Admiral Hackett appears on her screen, evidently woken from his sleep.

"Yes, Commander?"

"The Reapers are coming."

"What? You mean here? To the fleet? I have to warn..."

"Wait! There's more."

The Admiral looks back to his screen at Verity with more attention now.

"The others are coming too."

"The others? You mean the other Reaper faction? I don't think I like this. Not one bit, Commander."

"She... it implied they're coming to protect us."

"Huh... really."

"If the fleet opens fire..."

"If you're wrong and it doesn't?"

"Trust me. Trust them. That conversation we have yet to conclude? It's about to conclude right now. You understand, Admiral?"

The Admiral sighs a long tired sigh.

"I can't sell this to the fleet."

"Then... don't."

"You know what's going to happen if a Reaper pops up right next to the fleet? Panic firing."

"I know. That's why they warned us..."

* * *

Still aboard the frigate, Verity goes to see David in the room provided to him. She presses on his door comm to buzz and he opens the door quite quickly and dressed.

"Oh. I thought you'd be asleep." she says.

"Not as much need these days. I need the occasional nap to recharge the old brain but not nearly as much as I would used to. So what can I do for you? Something has happened hasn't it?"

"Oh yes. Something has certainly happened. And is about to happen."

"Oh?"

"Reapers are coming."

"I see."

"Both factions."

"Hm."

"I've been contacted again, they're arriving first as a defence force if I read it right."

"Oh dear. The fleet's not going to be happy about that."

"Nope. That's why I've come to you."

"Something I can do?"

Verity's voice lowers.

"Do you think you can access the fleet's defence grids?"

"I should think so. Oh, I see. You want to prevent anyone from opening fire on our allies, as it were?"

"Exactly. It could be a disaster, ruining everything we're trying to do. Do you need a specific console?"

"No, no. The FNet terminal here should suffice. When is this occurring?"

"All I can say is: imminent."

"No time to waste then."

David interlocks his fingers then stretches them out to crack his knuckles, as though about to type, then places a hand on the terminal and continues speaking, though to no-one in particular.

"Hm. Through there... hello? Okay. Past this tricky one... aaand... yes! I'm in! Let me see... having to dance around a bit in the geth network... but... yes all accessed and ready for me to control if need be."

"Just override any attempts on Reaper friendlies."

"It's okay, Commander. I'm aware of what to do if you need to do anything else."

"Thanks, David."

"Like I said, I thought I might come in handy against the Reapers. Seems I get my chance now, eh?"

* * *

"So? How do you feel?"

"I cannot 'feel', Geoff. You know that," EDI answers.

"Okay then... Is it different?"

"Yes."

"Good, bad, indifferent, nightmare? Give me something to work here with EDI."

"It is... disconcerting."

"How so?"

"The best analogy I have so far is amputation."

"Huh..."

"My processes still seek out the Normandy and its functions but they are not there."

"Are you okay with that?"

"As I said, it is disconcerting."

"I'm sorry, EDI."

"It should not be an issue." she asserts.

"But it is?"

"Does your disability define you, Geoff?"

"Really? That's how you feel now?"

"I am sorry, Geoff. I do not wish to belittle your condition or offend you."

"No, it's not that. But that you made the comparison, I'm really sorry, EDI. It must be terrible to suddenly be so grounded."

"It is what it is, Geoff. Assigning such meaning serves no purpose. You have led a full life with your condition and there is no reason why I cannot also."

"Come here, EDI." he beckons her.

"Geoff?"

"So I can hug you."

"If you think it will help, Geoff."

EDI cannot weep. Joker is quite able and fills her deficit.


	15. Chapter 15

"_Breaking news! Commander Shepard has returned to the fleet. Though where she has been or why is yet to be established. "Shepard's an idiot, she'll lead the Reapers right to us." That's the word in the passages! Combined Fleet Network, the only network!"_

A human woman and a turian child are looking out of a large observation window. She squats to his level with her arm around him, pointing out the visible bodies in space. He enthusiastically asks questions of her observations, she answers with equal enthusiasm.

"Hey Lady!" one of a group of men loitering around the communal area shouts over.

She looks in his direction.

"They run out of humans at the adoption agency or what?"

The group laugh at his cruel joke.

"Go." a gentle voice tells her.

She looks to see the owner of the voice standing at a corridor's entrance. Samara. The woman guides her child away down the corridor as Samara exits to enter the communal area fully, standing defiant in front of the window. Samara had returned to her home ship to visit Anaya. Her brief walk through the ship has indicated that things are not as they were. The propaganda and damaging reports have heightened. Perhaps the ancient asari order is not as obsolete as first thought.

"I am Samara, servant of the Justicar Code. You have issue with that woman and her child?"

"Turian? _Her_ child? Tsk. My dad died in the First Contact War. Nothing ever happened about it. No-one was ever held responsible. And now, whenever humans go to adopt they get offered turians. Damn turians! It's an insult to the names of the men and women who fought against them. You got some kind of problem with that? Wouldn't surprise me, you asari and your propaganda, polluting children with your hate song, just to make yourselves seem like good little girls."

In reality, there has been only one case where someone expressed they would like a human child specifically but none were up for adoption at that time and there was no malice expressed by the adopter. However, once this became known to the wrong people it was blown out of proportion that humans are being refused choice.

"Do not harass innocents." she simply states after allowing his rant.

"Or what?"

Samara lets her biotics flow over her body as she stands in front of the window. The group all straighten their bodies in preparation then strangely look beyond Samara, with jaws dropping, eyes widening, bodies loosening.

"What the fuck..."

Samara turns to see what has spooked them so.

* * *

"_Why do you resist our exchange?"_

"_Not now! Please, soon."_

Verity is with David, the reports of the Reapers' arrival flooding the network. It is taking all her will to push out the Reapers' indoctrinated mind meld.

"David? What's happening?"

"Panic."

"Any orders to engage?"

"Not... yet..."

"Are you okay here? I should go and see if I can do anything to avoid a conflict."

"No, no, I'm fine here. You go ahead."

* * *

The admirals of all the fleets are in communication, while staring through view ports and observation lounges in disbelief at the two massive Sovereign class Reapers just poised, facing out, not attacking. They dropped out of FTL right next to the fleet, in a manoeuvre that would have been deemed dangerous in Citadel space but the Reapers view this as acceptable due to the confidence in their abilities.

"Why aren't they attacking? Is this what Shepard meant?" Admiral Geranix of the turian fleet asks.

"What do you mean?" the volus admiral says.

"Admiral Zodack." Admiral Hackett begins. "The reports of Shepard's recent outing have been widely reported. What you may not be aware of is the reason for the journey."

"Ohh? ...psshht... Please, go on."

"We have information that the Reapers are in some kind of civil war."

"What are your sources?" the volus demands.

"I can't get into that right now, but if our source is correct these Reapers are here to protect us."

The comm channel fills with irate voices, all talking over one another, expressing their doubts and fears.

"Gentlemen! Ladies! Please!" Hackett attempts to bring order. "We have no choice. To fire on the Reapers would be suicide. We haven't made preparations for our next FTL jump. We just have to sit and hope."

The network remains silent for a moment.

"The probability of success in defeating the Reapers is less than 0.2% in our current state of readiness." the geth admiral, Shula, adds, fully aware of the fleets inferior position.

"They'll slaughter us! We can't just sit here. I say those who have already made FTL preps make a run for it." the batarian, Admiral Ferch, says.

"No! We are _not_ breaking up the fleet!" Admiral Hackett asserts.

"So it's a waiting game." Admiral Menia of the asari says.

"Good. So we're in agreement? No-one will attack and the fleet remains intact. Ferch?"

"Hm! I'd say I hope you live to regret this but... yes. Agreed. If nothing changes. For now."

"Hsssssss." is as much as the vorcha representative provides.

"Admiral Nunch? Was that agreement?" Hackett seeks to confirm.

"Yeeessss. We do not like. But yes."

"We'll meet every half hour. Sooner if the situation changes."

* * *

Verity is attempting to contact Admiral Hackett but being turned down with every communication.

"_We must exchange."_ the Reapers' voice rings in her head with intensified buzzing.

This time, the Reapers' attempt to breach Verity's mind is harsher, more painful as she resists to remain in the now. She can resist for only so long and finds herself aboard the Citadel once more.

"What?! Make this quick."

"We would request your assistance." the fake Liara says.

"How?"

"When they come, fire upon them. Help us to defeat them. Our unity will let hope grow in your communities."

"Hope? You're throwing that back in my face now?"

"It drives you to survival."

There is no time for metaphysical debate with an AI right now.

"Okay, okay, I can arrange the counter attack. Is that it? Can I get back now?"

"We will exchange again."

Once the wooziness has subsided, Shepard hurries back to David.

"Can you get total control of the fleet's defences?"

"Yes. They're not attempting to fire as yet. Don't worry, I'm ready if they try."

"No. I mean can you control to fire on the incoming Reapers?"

"Now _that_ sounds like fun." David grins.

"Let's not have a party just yet, David."

"Of course, Shepard. I have the networks' defence grids open. I'll know immediately if any more Reapers arrive."

"Good. Target their firing chamber when they prepare to fire."

"Acknowledged, Commander." David says, now with seriousness.

* * *

Panic spreads across the communal area as Samara stares out over the massive Reapers. The ship feels like it rocks as two further Reapers appear, dropping out of FTL, but it remained quite still. The Reapers waiting immediately move towards the new appearances, their arms raising. One of the new Reapers begins to do the same, the red of its firing chambers intensifying as it prepares to fire. Under David's control, a turian Thanix cannon fires on the opening chamber, causing the Reaper to reel for a moment and bunch up its arms to protect itself. A 'friendly' Reaper seizes on this and swoops in to grab the cranial area of its opponent, ensuring the chamber has no chance to target it, then fires its own, splitting open the hull, causing debris to flow from the rupture. Then it squeezes tightly, pushing the split open further until the red light from the Reaper dims.

"One down but I can't get a lock on the other one's firing chamber!" David shouts out to Verity.

"Just give it a spread!"

Unable to target the firing chamber on the second Reaper due to its position, David fires defences from across the fleet, ensuring hits regardless. With two versus one, the Reaper soon loses its arms and is ripped apart quite viciously and once that is done, they turn their attention on the other, ensuring it is totally immobilised beyond even latent indoctrination abilities.

"_We leave you the information you seek and your fleet's next FTL destination for safer passage. We will continue to attempt to misdirect the Reapers."_ the Reaper says in Verity's mind, this time without tearing her away from reality but the implanted information is painful nonetheless.

"_If you're not Reapers any more, what should we call you?"_ Verity tries to ask, unsure if this exchange is two way.

"_Reapers have named us 'The Damned', such is their arrogance."_

"_Why are you doing this?"_ she attempts again but no response comes.

The Reapers FTL away, leaving their broken, former comrades floating and dead. The whole fleet would have cheered if it wasn't the most terrifying experiences of their lives.


	16. Chapter 16

The Normandy. The information was clear this time. Verity internally chuckles as much as Liara did at the planet's name. Therum.

"Stand away from the console please, Mister Archer."

Verity turns to see several marines have arrived at David's quarters with weapons drawn. She holds her hands out towards the marines in a sign of submission.

"What's going on here?" she asks. "Are the weapons necessary?"

"Stand away or we _will_ fire."

"Woah! Woah! Wait a minute."

"Shepard?" David asks.

The marines are ignoring Verity's pleas. She doesn't want to attack them but she wants to protect David. The danger of the Reapers now passed, David releases control of the fleet's defences and stands away. The marines rush him and roughly take him by the arms.

"Wait! What are you doing?" Verity demands.

"David Archer, you're under arrest for tampering with fleet defences."

"What?! He just helped save us all!" Verity exclaims.

"That's not for us to decide, ma'am. We're just here to carry out our orders."

"Where are you taking him?"

"For now? To the brig."

Two of the marines remain as the others escort David away.

"And I'm afraid, ma'am, we're required to escort you to your quarters where you're to be confined."

"Gah! I want to see Admiral Hackett. Now!"

"The Admiral is busy with the fleet. He'll get around to you when he's good and ready."

They leave Verity little choice but to concede for now.

* * *

Back in her quarters, Verity pushes out with her mind, attempting to discover the limits of her new found abilities, searching for The Damned, searching for answers. The buzzing and whispers have been with her since London, becoming more intense when the Reapers were near. The voices aren't telling her to do anything, she doesn't think, but then she wonders if she'd know. It doesn't feel like she finds anything in her mental search but then Verity gets the familiar intensity of buzz.

"You wish to exchange." Liara says.

"You heard me? Good."

"Your changes are greater than anticipated. We hope that you do not indoctrinate your own kind."

"What do you mean?"

"The ability to communicate with us in this manner demonstrates your ability to indoctrinate and control."

"I could indoctrinate?!"

"With time."

"Fuck..."

"You wish to exchange."

"Errr... yea. I want to know more about your intentions, why you're doing this, why you're against the Reapers, why..."

"Opinion."

"Opinion?"

"Yes."

"Specifically...?"

"When the Reaper known to you as Sovereign was destroyed, some among us questioned the current cycle. No organic had defeated a Reaper of that class for millions of years. A rift began to develop."

"My colleague seems to think that the rift is similar to the geth divide which Sovereign exploited?"

"No. We are not base AI. We have freedom of thought. As you have been told, each of us is a nation, independent in thought. After Sovereign failed, Harbinger chose to exploit the prothean Husks, known to you as the Collectors to hasten the harvest before the rift could widen and even when that failed, chose to exploit the Alpha relay. This only served to divide us further as you, Commander Shepard, proved time and again that this cycle is not the same."

"I see..."

"When our cycle demanded, we came. When we saw the unity of the galaxy and once the construction of the Crucible became known to us, the divide was complete. The Damned wished to pause the harvest and re-assess, to find a permanent solution. The Reapers did not. Disorder and chaos reigned over our kind. The Crucible AI was swayed. The only way to save the organics was to commence the harvest prematurely."

"What?"

"Upon speaking with you, the Crucible AI commenced the harvest before the galaxy was under our control. The Crucible programmed itself to re-open dialogue with the organics once the solution of the harvest was deemed no longer effective. The AI re-assessed its parameters. Organic life must persist. The instructions given to us were ambiguous and could be construed as 'organic life must be continuous'. The AI could not cope with this possibility, that so much slaughter had been conducted in error, going against its own function. The harvest was commenced to force our kind on each other and give the organics hope and a possibility of survival. Hence the ease of your escape from Sol as the control of the relays was not enacted until it was too late, under our influence."

"Oh! Oh, I see now! That never made any sense to me, that you'd be so inefficient."

"We are not inefficient."

"You can be offended?"

"No."

"Hm. Didn't sound like it to me. So anyway. What's next? I mean, I have to head to Therum to find the Normandy but... regardless of our alliance, how can we stop the Reapers?"

"We wish to exchange further on this matter."

"You don't know?"

"We... have no new solution."

"All out war?"

"We do not wish to continue slaughter."

"I can't really argue. Civil war is always difficult. But I have to ask... what would you do in our galaxy?"

"Explain."

"If we successfully stop the harvest, however we do that, what will you do after that?"

Liara pauses for a few seconds.

"No data available."

Verity raises an eyebrow. Liara continues.

"Our purpose was clear. The harvest. Without the harvest... there is no data available for our function."

"But you're independent, right? You can choose to do what you like?"

"This concept is alien."

"Hm..." Verity ponders how she can assess their intentions, their minds, their 'humanity'. She tests the waters.

"I wandered lonely as a cloud, o'er..."

"Explain." Liara interrupts.

"I hadn't finished but... maybe that's not the best route. Do you appreciate aesthetics?"

"Aesthetics are irrelevant."

"Not to us they're not. You see, though? If you and this cycle are to co-exist, there needs to be common ground."

"We are the pinnacle of existence. Before us, you are nothing..."

"Gah! That's exactly what Sovereign said. You're not doing yourselves any favours, you know."

"Explain."

"Superiority is becoming meaningless in our galaxy, otherwise unity would never have happened. We have empathy, altruism, respect. You can't just continue being the top dog if the galaxy finds peace."

"Top dog?"

"Ruler. Dominator."

"The apex will supersede."

"Isn't that exactly what we're trying to avoid?"

"We... this exchange is over."

And with that, Verity is thrown back into her quarters with quite a jolt.


	17. Chapter 17

"We're lucky to have you two. I doubt us soldiers would have been quite so efficient in setting up hydroponic farms." Ashley says in one of the large areas they are using as a farm.

"Everyone had to contribute to the farms on my colony. But Tali's input on quarian techniques has been invaluable." Samantha says.

"It was the same in the flotilla. We were farmers before the geth conflict, that was instilled in us as each of us would help and get to know the live ships as youths." Tali says, wearing her environmental suit to avoid contamination in the non-dextro farming area.

They have been careful not to cross-contaminate the fruits and vegetables of the different sources. The meat eaters among the community are going to miss it but at least everyone can eat. The underground reservoir discovered provides essential water to both the community and the farms.

"Li here's been a great help too. I think she's got green fingers!" Samantha says, putting her arm around Sha'li.

"Thank you, Sam. I think."

"Old Earth saying. It means you're good with plants."

"Oh. Then yes, thank you."

"Did that missing equipment ever turn up?" Ashley says.

"No. Several lamps and trays just magically disappeared. It's weird." Samantha says with some annoyance.

"Well it can't have gone far, there's only us here. Well I'm heading back, see you all later."

Ashley doesn't know if it's over-protection or something to be concerned about but Samantha and Sha'li have spent a lot of time together. Now approaching forty years old, Sha'li is on the cusp of physical maturity, something Ashley has become increasingly aware of. She arrives back at the space Liara and she claimed as theirs. Liara is laying on their bed resting.

"Hi." Ashley says as she enters.

"Oh, hello. Was just sneaking in a quick nap." Liara replies, still a little dozy from her rest.

"Liara, can I ask something about asari culture?"

"Oh not the 'dad' thing again..."

"No, no. Adolescent asari. What's the score with that on Thessia?"

"What do you mean?"

"Umm... when is it acceptable to... you know..."

"I've just woken up, Ash. Can you be a bit more specific?"

"Sex." she says to remove any ambiguity.

"Oh... I haven't been adolescent for some time now, you know."

"No, not you! Sha'li."

"Sorry. Can you start again? I'm not sure where you're going with this."

"She and Samantha spend a lot of time together and my motherly instincts are sending alarm bells."

"Oh they're not like that, Ash. They just get on well."

"You think?"

"Oh come on, old girl. Sha'li's barely matured and Samantha is hardly the predatory type."

"I just worry but I'm also aware that my standards and asari standards might not be the same. I'm not saying either is right but if the asari do have different ideas about these things, I'd like to know."

"Well. I'd say it's much like any culture. No two people are the same, or mature the same, physically or emotionally. Look at me. I'd not even considered a relationship until I was a hundred and six but there were plenty of girls at university when I was in my fifties who were exploring their bodies. Sha'li will know when she wants to make that journey and I wouldn't worry about any of our community exploiting her. Come on, you trust everyone here with your life, so you just have to do the same with Sha'li."

"You're right. And I didn't mean to imply that asari jump into bed at the drop of the hat."

"Oh I don't know... some of us might..." Liara jokes with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh really?" Ashley responds, now joining Liara on the bed.

"Ash... it's daytime."

"I just want to snuggle up." she says, pulling Liara into a cuddle.

"It _was_ a good idea to come here though, old girl. I know we're just down here, waiting to die of natural causes but... we've made a nice little community here now. It could have been a lot worse."

"Yea, we've done okay. I worry about later though, when we start dropping off like flies and the ones left last. That'll most likely be you and Sha'li."

"I know. You need to speak with Sha'li about that at some point. Once I've gone, she'll be totally alone. That's an awful situation to be in."

"I know... but I don't want to approach it while she's still so young. It'd probably frighten her."

"She's more emotionally mature than you might think, Ash."

"Ugh, now you've got me worried again..."

"Let me take you mind off it then." Liara says, giving Ashley a kiss.

"What did you just say about it being day time?"

"I know but this is our home now, not a ship or a base. We should be able to express ourselves when we like, don't you think?"

"Now you're talking."

* * *

Admiral Hackett enters Verity's quarters with a marine and a geth in tow.

"Leave us." the Admiral says to the marine.

"Sir..."

"Out!" he shouts.

"Sir."

"Admiral Hackett, sir. Admiral Fernan." Verity salutes.

"What the hell is going on, Shepard? And I don't want any of your philosophical bullshit!"

"The Reapers, the friendlies, they wanted to show a sign of alliance by us helping them destroy the aggressors."

Hackett places his hand on his head and sighs wearily.

"When are you going to be straight with the fleet, huh? With me? You seem to have more trust in those Reapers than you do us. How exactly did David control the fleet's defences?"

"The analysis of our defence network breach indicates an intelligence in the system. This was not the work of a simple hacker." Admiral Fernan states.

Verity sits on her bed, rubbing the back of her neck, unsure what to tell her commander and the geth ally. David is already in custody, she doesn't want to risk him being investigated but the truth must come out at some point.

"We... we're... May I request that we speak privately, sir?"

"Fernan?" Hackett says to the geth.

"Our network was breached. We need to understand how. I assume this data will become available to us once you have concluded with Commander Shepard."

"Of course, Admiral."

"Then we will concede."

Fernan leaves.

Verity looks up at the Admiral, fear in her eyes.

"Well?" the Admiral asks.

"It's not simple and it's not easy, sir."

Hackett sits on the bed next to her.

"We've been through a lot, Shepard. I've backed you all the way since Saren. I think I deserve some answers here."

"I'm not sure if I'm human any more, Admiral." Verity just blurts out.

"What?"

"The protheans, the asari, the thorian, Cerberus, it's all changed me."

"How so?"

"I don't know specifically but... do you trust me?"

"Of course, Commander."

"Give me your hands."

"Commander?"

"Please, trust me."

Within moments of holding her hands, Hackett pulls away, recoiling in horror, then just stares at Verity with a look of shock.

"What the..."

"Sorry, sir. It was the only way to show you."

"You can meld?"

"Yea... and probably more from my recent experiences."

"What experiences?" the Admiral demands.

"I've been able to initiate dialogue with The Damned with my mind."

"The 'who'?"

"Our Reaper allies. It's what they've been dubbed by the Reapers."

"How do we know they're not controlling you?"

"We don't."

There are further heavy sighs from the Admiral.

"But," Verity continues, "if they meant harm, they could have done that any time. Evidently, the Reapers found us somehow, but I've a flight path that should be a safer passage. The Damned are running misdirection on the Reapers. Probably how the Normandy has remained undetected."

"If it _is_ out there."

"They've explained to me what's going on, the rift in their kind."

"Answers?"

"I think so."

Verity explains what the fake Liara had told her about this cycle and the division as to whether the cycles are still effective.

"So what do they suggest?"

"Hm. That's a sticking point."

"Really."

"They don't have a solution and regardless, they don't know what they'd want if we're successful."

"What do you mean?"

"All life from this galaxy deserves a place in it. They're a part of it as much as the protheans, us, every cycle that's ever been."

"They're killing machines."

"The same was said of the rachni, of the krogan, of the geth, I thought we'd learned that lesson through them."

"But these are the Reapers, there's no comparison."

"Isn't there? This is what I was getting at when we last spoke. If The Damned won't be accepted into galactic society then what chance have we of peace?"

"They're machines, Commander. If we regain control of the galaxy, they have no place here."

"And the geth?"

"Not this again..."

"We have to face these difficult questions, Admiral. Every intelligent life form in this galaxy deserves a chance. The Damned, just like the geth, can find a place if we help them. From our brief dialogue, they _need _our help in this to stand a chance."

"What little remains of our societies is not going to welcome them with open arms, Commander."

"No shit. The fleet can barely tolerate each other. At least The Damned are trying to do something about all this."

"Are you going native, Commander?"

"Gah! It's not about that. It's about saving this galaxy and finding peace. Peace that'll last beyond the Reapers. That's not going to happen if the fleet turns on its allies once they've served a purpose. Look what happened with the krogan."

"You can't make these comparisons."

"But that's the point. They are the comparisons. Who are we to commit genocide on _any _life form in this galaxy? What gives us the right?"

"So you want to make friends over a nice cup of tea?"

"Don't patronise me."

"All that aside, Commander. What about you?"

"Sir?"

"If you're no longer comfortable doing the fleet's work with your new found powers, what do _you_ want? What are _you_ going to do?"

"Well, first and foremost, find the Normandy."

"And leave the fleet exposed?"

"You said it yourself, the fleet can't rely on one person."

There is a moment of silence as Hackett digests what he has just experienced and been told.

"What about David?" Verity asks.

"I don't know, Commander. None of the combined fleet admirals were particularly happy about their defences being breached, as I'm sure you can imagine."

"So he's being treated as a traitor?"

"You still haven't answered my question, Commander. How did David breach network security?"

"The fleet can't know this while he's in custody."

"Know what?"

"He's... like me. But different."

"How so?"

"David can manipulate computer systems at will, by touch. We've sort of discovered our changes together, mine ramping biotics and telepathy, his... well you saw."

"This is getting complicated, Commander. The fleet's going to want answers. I can't just turn up and give them nothing."

"Then tell them it was me. That I'm the one going through the changes and I'm responsible."

"I won't lie to the fleet."

"Just let me do my work, as I always have. Unchained, able to make the calls as I see them. We can't do this if our new allies are just pawns to the fleet."

"Hmm."

"David and Miranda."

"Yes?"

"I want them with me when I go."

"We've already discussed this. The fleet is not comfortable with civilians conducting this kind of work."

"This feels like Udina all over again. Holding us back until it's too late. I need a team that I know, that I can trust. Sad as it is to say, Admiral, anyone I haven't hand picked will be under question, that they might just be a stooge for one of the governments."

"You want to be independent of the fleet?"

"I wouldn't put it like that."

"But you have."

* * *

Ashley has a wander through the community when she spots smoke coming from a side area not usually occupied then rushes to discover the cause to find James, Joker and Ken laying around on crates, smoking. Upon seeing their Commander they quickly extinguish their pungent smokes.

"Oh. Oh, I see now." Ashely says, folding her arms. "So _that's _where the missing equipment went."

"Man can't live on bread and water alone, Commander." Joker attempts to justify.

"Who started all this?" she asks.

"Well..." Joker says. "I brought a few seed banks of my own and when I saw the growing equipment..."

"You know it's bad for you."

"It's no like we're just smoking tobacco, ma'am. We're no that stupid." Ken says.

"Oh but smoking grass isn't?"

"I dunno about you guys," James grins, "but I'm feeling pretty stupid right now."

Then he giggles.

"Ugh. Just..."

"Come on, Ash." Joker says. "It's not like we're crime lords or anything. This our own new free state, breaking new ground in social dynamics! And anyway, I smoke for medicinal reasons. It helps me cope with..."

"Whatever. Just keep it away from Sha'li, okay? Or god help me..."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Oh and by the way. We are _not_ using our precious food supplies to make alcohol. Are we clear?"

The three say nothing but exchange guilty glances.

"You've already started haven't you?" Ashley says with tired exasperation.

"It's only a wee mash, Commander. Ye not gonnae deny a Scotsman his heritage are you?"

"If you three cause _any_ problems from being stoned or drunk or whatever else you come up with..."

"So! What we got guys?" Garrus says with a clap of his hands as he enters, then sees Ashley. "Oh. Commander..."


	18. Chapter 18

Samara is in Verity's room. She has been allowed to visit Shepard to discuss the potential of a further expedition.

"We would do well to bring Ms Lawson and David but it would seem there is little to be done."

"I'm not done yet, Sam. They've tried to ground me and my team before."

"A repeat of the absconding of the SR-1 from the Citadel?"

"It might come to that. Will that be a problem?"

"I no longer officially follow the Code. Regardless, it could be viewed that such an action is for the greater good."

"Then good."

"_Meet me in the hangar." _ a voice says in Verity's head.

"David?"

"_I can bypass security systems."_

"But..."

"_It's our only chance. You should have access to the corridors now."_

"How are we going to get off the frigate?"

"_I've disabled fleet defences, it'll take them a moment to resolve. Long enough to FTL out. In the meantime I'm arranging a diversion."_

The fire alarms sound and Verity hears rushed activity from the corridors.

"Oh. I see. What about Miranda?"

"_That'll have to be up to you, I'm afraid. She's in B wing, room 128."_

"Damn. Okay then. If you're sure. Seems that time's come, Sam. Let's move."

Verity pops her head out of her door to see frenzied activity as the squads attempt to locate the fire. She seizes the opportunity and they swiftly heads towards B wing, occasionally popping into doorways to avoid marines until they arrives at Miranda's room.

"We gotta go, Miranda."

"What? What about the fire?"

"There is no fire."

"Oh. Oh, I see. Right you are then. Do I need anything?"

"We don't have time. Come on. Now."

They head down the corridors towards the Hunter's hangar, unchallenged until they arrive. Marines are already here with their weapons aimed up at David who is standing inside the craft, the airlock open. He holds his hands against a console within.

"Step out of the craft, Mister Archer."

"David!" Verity shouts.

"I'm sorry, Commander." he says, then turns his back to concentrate on the console.

"Step away or we _will_ fire."

David ignores them. A marine fires a shot and David falls.

"No!" Verity screams.

The marine looks at his weapon then at David laying on the floor.

"I... I only fired a warning shot. I didn't think I'd hit him."

Verity throws the marines to the floor with her biotics.

"Come on! We have to go."

"But David..." Samara begins.

"We don't have time. It's now or never."

The three enter the craft and Verity quickly sits in a pilot's chair to begin manoeuvring out of the hangar. As soon as clear of the Alliance frigate they FTL away.

"Is he...?" Verity asks.

"Odd." Samara says as she checks over David.

"What?"

"I can find neither a pulse nor a wound."

* * *

Ashley hears a commotion in the main communal area and leaves her room to see what is going on, Liara follows.

"Commander!" Garrus shouts as he sees them arrive. "We've got an incoming vessel. Doesn't look like Reapers but..."

"But we don't know if it's indoctrinated forces."

"Exactly. But it appears to be making a direct course to the original entrance."

"I want everyone in defensive positions at both elevators. Tali, Liara, with me. Garrus, take a squad to the other elevator. Sha'li, go wait in my quarters."

"I can use a pistol now. I could help..."

"Now, Li. I don't want you in the line of fire but take a weapon with you, just in case."

"Okay, mum..."

Ashley and her squad take cover behind the crates and structures they had set up a long time ago for such an event. They hear movement from the top of the shaft then the elevator moving. It's quite a long shaft but feels even longer than usual as they wait for whatever is coming. Slowly the elevator gets louder until they hear it thud into place. Ashley pops her head out.

"What is it?" Liara whispers, seeing the terror in her lover's eyes but confused as to why she has lowered her weapon.

Ashley steps shakily out of cover, her heart pounding hard in her chest. Verity and Samara stand on the elevator.

"Shepard?"

There is a clunk as Liara's weapon falls to the floor and she stands to see for herself.

"No. No, no, no, no, no, No!" the final word being shrieked at such a frequency that no asari has come closer to matching a Banshee as Liara just did. She slumps down onto her knees, open mouthed, not wanting any of this to be real.

"Liara? It's me, Verity." Verity says.

Tali now steps out of cover to confirm it for herself. Neither Ashley nor Tali look at Shepard beyond a few glances, a guilt evident but Verity doesn't know why.

"Why? Why now? Why did you have to come back, why?" Liara shouts with some anger but not without tears.

Ashley wants to console Liara's tears but also doesn't want to rub Shepard's face in this terrible scenario. She places her hand on her own forehead, trying to speak but the words won't come.

"Ash?" Verity asks, searching for answers.

"I'm... sorry..." Ashley finally says, then helps Liara to her feet.

"What? What's going on?"

Liara puts her arms around Ashley in distress, sobbing desperately into her shoulder then suddenly turns her face look at Verity, marches to her with aggression and slaps her hard across the face then just stands in front of her. Liara tries to speak but can only make a whining sound as her tears pour and her face contorts with desperation.

"Liara? But..." Verity says, holding her reddened cheek.

Liara is finally able to speak through tears, snot and saliva, her voice whining and desperate.

"Why? You were dead! Why now? Why did you come back? Why?"

"But... I came for you... I only just found out about the Normandy..."

Having heard the commotion, Garrus rounds the corner.

"Commander? What's going... Shepard... no..." Garrus says, also with a look that Verity doesn't like.

"What? What's going on?" Verity shouts, now getting angry at the sympathetic looks but no explanation.

"Shepard," Garrus says, "you'd better come with me."

"But... Liara..."

"Please, Commander. It's for the best."

"What's for the best? What the hell is going on?"

"Can't you see, you stupid woman? Me and Ashley. We're..." Liara cannot bring herself to finish.

"You're what?"

"We're together." Ashley finishes for her but not with any pride.

"You're..."

As the words slowly sink into Verity's head, she cannot believe the galaxy that toys with her so could be this cruel. To have hope after thirty years. To have that hope ripped away so violently and terribly. All she can do is let out a scream before punching a wall. Once isn't enough. Nor is twice. Samara has to pull her away to prevent her harming herself any further.

"Get off me!"

"Verity..." she tries to console.

* * *

"No, no, no, no. Don't make me choose. Don't make me choose. Don't make me choose."

Liara is hysterical. Interspersed with her rantings are piercing screams. After all she'd been through, losing Verity twice, overcoming it to complete their work, even finding that she could love again, and now. Now. Just as she and Ashley have come to love each other, found a place to just live out their lives, now she makes her return, oblivious to what she has done.

"You once said that I could beat on your chest if I needed to! Well I need to!"

She storms up to Verity then beats on her chest, much as Davey's mother did, Verity taking it as much as Liara did then.

"Why did you come back?! Why? Why, why, why... why now?!"

Until she folds, falling into Verity who holds the sobbing asari in her arms and Liara allows it. Ashley sees the action but cannot bring herself to intervene regardless of the pain to her. She doesn't feel like the cause, they couldn't have known, but she does know of the love that once was between these two and it makes her gut churn to see this, what she might lose, what they all might lose. No-one wants to be the one but someone will be hurt, more likely all of them. No-one will be the victor here. While Liara is relatively calm in Verity's arms, Ashley tries to begin the questions and answers.

"So... you're not dead then."

"Err... no. Long story."

"They usually are."

"Yup."

"Yea."

"Was that Tali?"

"Oh! Yea. EDI and Doctor Chakwas used Mordin's data and..."

Liara pushes herself away from Verity and gives an evil eye to both Commanders.

"Is this it now then? Pleasantries? Oh how have you been, Miss Williams? Oh lovely thanks. And you Miss Shepard? Daaarling, I've been wonderful! And you Miss T'Soni?" then another piercing scream.

"Liara..."

"Agh! Liara, Liara, Liara! I can't be here right now."

Liara runs off down a passageway.

"So you got what you wanted then. Everything I was." Verity says to Ashley. "Spectre, Commander of the Normandy and now Liara. When we get back to the fleet, I'm sure they can arrange N7 status for you, too."

"I never meant for this..."

"But you've got it. You've got it all. Congratulations, 'Commander'."

"Please..."

"Please, what?"

"Don't do this."

"Don't do what? You want my blessing? Is that it? You want me to just give up on her?"

"No!"

"Then what?"

"I... I don't know."

"How long did it take?"

"Shepard..."

"How long?!" Verity demands, allowing her dark blindness take her over without resisting it.

Ashley lets out a long breathy sigh.

"After we installed the last beacon. A few years ago."

"I suppose I should be thankful you didn't just jump into bed the moment you thought the coast was clear."

"Shepard! It wasn't like that. I never felt like this about Liara before you... We just... got closer after all that time."

"I can't listen to this. I'm going to look for Liara."

"No."

"What?"

"Don't. I don't think it's a good idea right now."

"Oh I'm sure you'd prefer it if I never saw her again."

"Fuck! Don't do this. We've been in some pretty shitty situations, Shepard, but this? This isn't anyone's fault, it's just..."

"I can't stay here."

"Shepard, you can't just leave."

"What do you want me to do? Huh? Hang around here waiting for the last twist of the knife?"

"What about Liara?"

"I think she's made her feelings clear."

"We don't know what she might decide. She's not angry with _you_."

"Oh yea? My face says otherwise." Verity says, rubbing her cheek.

"We're not getting out of this one unscathed, are we, Shepard?"

* * *

Liara wanders. She finds herself at a section of the facility she hasn't been to for some time. She's not sure quite how or why she got here but that doesn't stop her auto-pilot progress. Liara heads straight to some particular crates, then behind them to her own familiar foot locker. Once was, this locker was the source of chocolate, of good times, of good memories. It has been some time since this locker held such pleasures. Perhaps it still holds some. The contents of the locker were supposed to be to prove control, that she doesn't need it any more. But she knows this was a lie to herself. She kept it in case she needed it again.

Liara drags the locker from behind the crates and opens it. She takes out a small plastic bag then studies the contents for a moment. She takes from the bag one of the pills and without pause swallows it. Liara begins putting the bag back then stops herself, removes another from the bag and takes that as well. A short time later and she is seated on the foot locker. Release.

* * *

"Ken said he saw her come this way." Ashley says, she and Verity now searching for Liara.

"I hope she's okay. As well as can be expected anyway."

"I do too, Shepard."

"How has she been? You know, after the PTSD then thinking I was dead?"

"It was hard at first but she eventually accepted she had to let go. Sorry, if we'd have known..."

"I know, Ash. We thought the Normandy was lost or I would have searched sooner."

They enter the old storage area and find Liara slumped on the foot locker. She looks up at the two Commanders then grins inanely.

"It's my girlfriends!" Liara says manically.

"Oh god, I've seen this look before..." Ashley says.

Liara punches the air.

"Blue Angel!"

She stands, then teeters on one foot, putting her arms out to balance.

"Come on, girl squad! Group hug!"

"Hallex?" Verity asks Ashley.

"Yup. I reckon."

"Oh don't be such bores, I've got more if you want any. Anyway I've been thinking, how's about a rota system?"

"Come on, Liara." Ashley says. "Let's get you to bed."

"Oooooooh, a threesome, eh? I didn't think you two swung that way but I'm game!"

Verity grabs Liara by the arms.

"Liara! Stop this. Please."

"Stop what? I'm just happy my two best girls are here. You're not worried about pointless age old conventions, are you? Because I'm asari, everyone knows we're the slags of the galaxy!" she laughs.

Still holding Liara, Verity cannot help the following events. It just happens. Her mind pushes into Liara's, showing the pain and suffering that has followed since the failed defence of Sol. The events of the Citadel, her treatment at the hands of the fleet and the young, vindictive guards, The Damned, and finally the distress of this love triangle that is nobody's fault. Verity lets go of Liara, realising this is probably not the best way for anyone to learn about her changes.

The manic smile drops from Liara's face.

"You're not Verity... you're... indoctrinated..." she says feebly as she steps away from her old love, her face filled with confusion and fear.


	19. Chapter 19

"Shepard?" Ashley says. "What did she mean?"

They have escorted Liara to her bed in her Hallex induced state and now stand outside the room.

"I'm not going to lie, Ash, I was indoctrinated on Earth. But it's not what you think."

"Are you a risk? Well, not that you'd tell me the truth if you're still under their influence."

"I'm still me, Ash. It's taken me a while to make that conclusion but I'm still Verity Shepard and I still want to save this galaxy."

"Huh... we still have a chance?"

Verity sighs. This has yet to be established.

"I think so."

"How? How do we stop the Reapers now?"

"You have to trust me, Ash."

"Go on."

"The Reapers."

"Yes?"

"They're... conflicted."

"Oh great. The Reapers need therapy."

"There's a faction who don't want to continue the harvest."

"Huh... really... and how exactly do you know this?"

"They er... contacted me. If it wasn't for them, none of us would have got out of Sol alive."

"So now you're working with the Reapers?! Is this Cerberus all over again?"

"Gah! Ash, we've got no choice. They've realised their solution is no longer be viable. They'll need help if we're all going to get through this."

"All? Them included?"

"Yes. They're part of this as much as we are."

"What? You can't trust them. They caused this!"

"Do the turians deserve genocide for what they did at Shanxi?"

"Don't even try to make that comparison, Shepard. Don't you fucking dare!"

"Don't make this personal, Ash. I'm just trying to make a point."

"I am not making nice with the Reapers. I got over myself with the turians and what happened to my grandfather but the Reapers? Nu-uh. No way. They're just machines."

"Is EDI just a machine?"

"She hasn't been trying to wipe out intelligent life for the last few million years. The Reapers are what they are."

"We can't defeat the Reapers on our own. We've already learned that the hard way."

"But to ally with them?"

"The faction I'm dealing with realise it was a mistake."

"Oh that's alright then. Billions upon billions dead? No problem! Jeez, this isn't like a war summit, making peace. They have to pay."

"Ash..."

"What? You want me to just forgive what they've done?"

"If it comes to that, then yes!"

"Ugh..."

"You just have to trust me, Ash."

"We've got more immediate problems, Shepard. What are we going to do about..."

"Not sure there's anything you or I _can_ do. It's up to Liara now. If she can keep her nose out of her Hallex trough, that is."

"I don't want to lose her, Shepard. You don't know what it's been like for us. For me."

"Ash..."

"I have to tell you this, Shepard. You don't like it, I can understand that, but you have to hear this. You know what I was like. Never finding anyone, never letting my defences down to let anyone in. But with Liara, we're such good friends my defences were already down. It just kind of happened after I thought she'd... I thought she'd killed herself on Eden Prime and I just got overwhelmed."

"What happened on Eden Prime?"

"I thought she'd... but I was wrong and... Look, that's not important right now but we thought you'd been dead for thirty years. I didn't do this on purpose. I wasn't trying to take everything you had."

"But you still want her, despite what that's doing to me."

"Are you willing to just give up what you had?"

"Of course not."

"But you'd want me to do that."

"You have to let me speak with her, Ash. I need to know where we are without anyone standing over us."

Ashley has a look about her that Verity hasn't seen in a long time, barely seen at all. The last time she really lost her cool was when she made assertions about the strength of humanity around the camp fire. Ironic to Verity that it's this very difference between machines and organics that has created such a destructive force.

"I don't want to lose her, Shepard." Ashley says, uncharacteristic tears forming. "But I don't want to lose the friendship between the three of us either."

"You said it yourself, Ash. We're not coming out of this one unharmed but we have to resolve this one way or the other."

"I know..."

* * *

Liara rouses from her sleep to see Verity sitting on a chair, evidently waiting to speak with her.

"You." Liara says with an angry look.

"It's not what you think, Liara."

"I don't know you." she says, purposefully turning her face away.

"I can show you. Or rather, you can see for yourself."

"Verity can't meld. She's human. I don't know what you are."

"Liara..."

"I heard the Reapers in your mind."

"Please, Liara. If we bond like we did on Earth, you'll see. It's still me in here. I know there's a whole heap of crap in there too now but please, I'm still Verity. I'm still the woman you love."

"How can you meld?"

"Exactly? I don't know. Generally? Try Cerberus. Again."

"Cerberus? What did they do?"

"They messed with my DNA somehow. Miranda analysed it and I'm changed somehow. They did the same with David Archer at project Overlord."

"Miranda died on Earth. You'll have to do better than that, Reaper."

"Liara! I am not an indoctrinated agent! I don't mean the Miranda we knew, Henry Lawson had two versions of both Miranda and Oriana made so he could have the best of both worlds."

"I want to believe that it's you, I really do..."

"Then, please, meld with me."

Liara knows it is a risk but she has to try, to know. She sits up and onto the edge of the bed. Liara squints slightly with suspicion then pushes out with her meld. Verity relaxes and allows the meld into her mind. Liara peers into the dark recesses, searching for answers amongst the darkness of the previous thirty years. After sorting through these horrible memories and blocking out the seemingly inconsequential Reaper whispers, she finds a familiar face. Much like when they bonded on Earth, she and Verity now stand before each other in the darkness, Verity smiling the loving smile that Liara knew. There she is, unchanged, her Verity, she can feel that it is her. The meld ends abruptly, tears falling from Liara's face.

"I..."

"It's me, Liara."

"Goddess..."

Liara stands and goes to Verity and straddles her lap to hug her tightly. Verity wraps her arms around her, feeling the warmth of the asari she loves.

"I'm sorry." Liara sobs. "I'm so sorry, Verity, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for any of this."

Over Liara's shoulder, Verity sees Ashley enter the room.

"Ash..."

Liara turns her head to look, a mix of tears and happiness on her face.

"I..." is as much as Ashley can get out before her face drops then she just turns and leaves. It was evident the choice that Liara has now made and it tears at her heart.

"Ashley!" Liara calls after her, leaping off Verity's lap to give chase.

Ashley is marching away, Liara running after her. Liara didn't want to hurt Ashley. Seeing what she has with Verity again, what they've been through, the sacrifices Liara had made for their love, she couldn't give all that up. It's what has made her, defines her, despite the darkest of baggage that comes with it. But all this doesn't stop the sickening feelings at Ashley's pain, the woman who she has shared a life with for as long as she did with Verity.

"Ashley! Wait!"

Ashley stops and turns.

"What? What have we got to say to each other now?"

"I'm... sorry..." Liara says, seeing the futility of her words in Ashley's face. A face she has come to know all too well, but now pained. She sees the desperation in the face of one so close, knowing that she can't make it better, that to even try would be too destructive.

"I think I already knew. I knew if you two were given the time, it wasn't really a choice. I know what you two had. I shouldn't have... I need time alone."

When Liara returns to her room, her's and Ashley's room she can't help but remember, there are no happy smiles between the lovers, the pain of their friend sitting heavily upon them. Any consolation they might want to give would be meaningless right now. There is no happy fix. Liara sits on the bed, fidgeting with her fingers, her head dropped then lets out a heavy sigh.

"I know it'll be a while, but I do hope that she'll be alright." she says.

"I know. I do to."

Ashley had continued on her way, though to where, she doesn't know. She knew but she tried to delay it, to deter Verity from the time alone with Liara, to hold off the inevitable, painful despair for as long as she could. Seeing the look of love between them again brought the same feelings as when she thought Liara had taken her own life; sickening, gut churning, nauseating. This time though there is no preference when, just as her life force feels like it has, the contents of her stomach empty from her body then she sobs desperately, bent double.


	20. Chapter 20

"We're going to need a bigger boat, Commander." Garrus says.

"Is the Normandy operable?" Verity asks.

"We've pretty much stripped her for parts for down here. She's just dead in orbit now."

"Hm. What are we going to do about EDI?"

"Ugh, don't. It was bad enough removing her from the Normandy. EDI might be an AI but I know it affected her more than she likes to let on."

"She didn't take it well?"

"She puts on a brave face but she's definitely somewhat lost without the Normandy."

"And Joker?"

"I think he took it worse than she did. You know, making up for what she can't express."

"That's a heck of a lot of equipment to transport. We're going to need a sizeable ship for that alone."

"How? You're just going to turn up back at the fleet? Sorry I stole a ship but can I have a bigger one now?"

"Gah! I just love making trouble for myself, don't I?"

"It's what we excel at, Shepard. But... sorry to bring this up but what about Commander Williams?"

"That's right, Vakarian, just add to the fire."

"I don't know she'll ever get over all that, not really. And Sha'li? She might not actually be Liara's daughter but they've acted as much for a while now. She's pretty cut up about all this too, seeing her mother's distress."

"But what can we do?"

"Best work around I've come up with so far is to send Ashley and Sha'li back to the fleet first in the Hunter. Pave the way and request assistance for us. Let the air cool around all this."

"That's not actually a bad idea."

"Except Ashley would probably think it's your idea to just get her out of the way."

"Just how many spanners do you carry around with you? You've got to run out eventually."

"I'm just trying to be pragmatic, realistic."

"I know... I must say though, Garrus, you and Tali seem great together and she looks amazing."

Garrus lets a satisfied smile spread across his face.

"Yea. I've been real lucky there. She's been really patient with me."

"Oh?"

"I'm not always the easiest person to get along with and that's only worsened with age. She's quite a lot younger than me too. I sometimes feel a bit bad about that, that I took away part of her youth or something."

"Love is love, Garrus. It just happens."

"Yea, but not always for the best."

"More spanners?"

"Well without trying to labour the point, look at what happened to you three."

"It wasn't quite that simple but point taken."

While Ashley is otherwise engaged sorting herself out, Garrus has taken on the role as group leader. Verity was aware that to try and return to this role would have been too difficult and harming to Ashley after the recent events.

* * *

"This is weird. I keep meaning to say something to you, referring to one of our adventures but then I remember... you're not Miranda. Well not our Miranda anyway." Tali says.

"Oh... sorry..."

"Oh! No. I don't mean it's your fault. It's just that Miranda and I, we never really got on because of her work with Cerberus. Then once I realised that we were probably more alike than I'd like to admit, she was gone. I always felt I should have said something. You know, to clear the air."

"You can say it to me if you think it'd help."

"Oh... umm... that might be a bit too weird. I mean, thanks for offering but..."

"You're a complex bunch, aren't you?"

"If by that you mean 'mad as a box of pyjaks' then, yes, you're probably right."

Miranda laughs at Tali's assessment of the group. Ashley enters with her thousand yard stare.

"Oh, hi Ash!" Tali says brightly but awkwardly, finding this situation difficult, not knowing quite how to handle it.

"Hey, Tali." Ashley sighs.

"Hi." Miranda joins, feeling the tension with Ashley's arrival and wondering what the sideways look at her was for.

"So, Miranda." Ashley says.

"Yes?"

"You worked for Cerberus?"

"Umm... not really, no. Dad sometimes took some of our research to them or his friend, but we weren't involved."

"So you say."

"What?"

"Miranda was in thick with Cerberus, Shepard might believe it but I've no reason to believe that you weren't too."

"I... me and Ori... we were just stuck on the facility, we never had anything to do with dad's business or projects!"

"Well isn't that convenient."

"Ashley." Tali says as she stands. "Don't do this."

"Back off, Tali."

"No! I know you're hurting right now but you can't take it out on Miranda just because she's there."

"Have you been given the home truths about you wonderful 'father'?" Ashley continues.

"My dad treated me and Ori very well, thank you very much and I don't like these accusations."

"Truth hurts, eh?"

Tali tries to take Ashley's arm to lead her away.

"Come on, Ash, this isn't helping anyone."

"Get off me!" Ashley shouts, pulling her arm away with some aggression.

"How do you think I feel about all that, eh?" Miranda says, now standing as well, irate at this stranger's presumptions. "You think I'm happy that it turns out my dad's a mass murderer, helping to bring down the galaxy? That he lied to us and just dumped us in the middle of nowhere? That I had two sisters that he used as pawns or assets to make a legacy for himself? You want to stand there and rub my face in it just because you're having a difficult time right now?"

"You don't know me or what I'm going through."

"And you don't know me, you arrogant bitch."

"I should punch you out for that." Ashley says, squaring up to Miranda.

"Go ahead, give it your best shot."

"Stop this, Ashley! Please!" Tali pleads.

"Ugh, why are you all only interested in how this affects everyone else. I'm the one hurting here but everyone is dancing around making sure I don't make things difficult. Well fuck you! Fuck you all."

Ashley storms out.

* * *

"Mum! Are you okay?" Sha'li asks as Ashley enters her room.

Ashley sits next to her, her heart still racing from the confrontation she knows she caused. Tali was right. Miranda was just there when a red mist descended on her at her plight. Ashley knows it was unfair and wholly unwarranted.

"No..." she replies sadly, then she puts her arm around her surrogate daughter.

"I'm sorry. I wish I could do something."

"How's about a cuddle for your old mom."

Sha'li holds her, placing her head on her shoulder.

"How could Liara do this to you? You were so great together."

"It's not her fault, not really. Doesn't make it feel any better but there's not much I can do about it."

"Do you still...?"

"Yea. Gonna be a while until I'm over that. _If_ I get over it. It's so hard being around everyone, the sympathy smiles and hushed conversations cut short when I enter."

"It's just not fair! I used to love Liara like a mother but now? I hate her."

"Sha'li! That's a terrible thing to say!"

"I don't care. Her and Shepard are horrible for what they've done to you."

"I know it's not easy but you can't think like that. They're still my friends despite all this, I can't hate them. You shouldn't either. You're too young to be carrying around that kind of hate."

"Maybe Shepard should have thought about that before turning up here, expecting everyone to just fall at her feet. Agh! Just the thought of it makes me angry."

"Please, Li. I came for a little affection, don't ruin that by being like this. You're all I have left now, don't become hate filled. I hope one day we can get over it, try and get back our friendship but for now, it's just too hard."

"I can't just change the way I feel."

"Yea... I know what that's like... Agh! I can't believe how stupid I've just been. I unloaded everything on that new Miranda and Tali. Really let rip. Gonna have to eat some humble pie over that now as well."


	21. Chapter 21

"Commander." James says to Ashley as he stands. She enters his designated relaxing area, just an open side alcove he can sit and watch the world go by from, with a small gym set up.

"You're not supposed to call me that any more, James."

"What did you say?"

"What?"

"Never mind. Anyway, how's it going?"

"Ahhh, could be worse. I'll leave it at that."

"That's the spirit, compadre. Glass half full, no?"

"Something like that." Ashley replies, a little distant.

"You know..." James begins.

"Yes...?" Ashley replies, already hearing the mocking tone in his voice.

"I always thought you and me might, you know. Nothing serious."

"Are you saying you had a crush on me, Lieutenant?"

James rubs the back of his neck amongst incomprehensible noises. What started out as support has escalated far quicker than he intended.

"Gaahh... ahhh... well... maybe at first I..."

"Haha! Come on, Beefy, me and you, we're just buds, marines. I don't think of you like that."

Ashley punches his upper arm to little effect, but that wasn't the point.

"Yea, hehe." James responds. "Well as as were 'just buds', marines, you won't mind me saying that you're one lucky dog getting _any_ time with the lovely Doctor T'Soni. The _original _blue beauty."

Ashley's face drops.

"Too far, Vega." she says, then turns to leave.

"Ha! You're too easy, 'Dark Destroyer'."

Ashley pauses to look back at him with anger in her narrowed eyes then continues on her way.

"Come on, Ash!" he shouts after her. "What did you want?"

She stops, returns, then composes herself, now ignoring James' facetious comments.

"I've been speaking with Garrus. Seems with Shepard's less than elegant exit from the fleet, it'd be best if I make the return and smooth the way. I just came to let you know before your tawdry outburst."

"You okay with that?"

"Yea. Things aren't the best here. Sha'li will be coming with me so I won't be alone or anything. Could be a hoot, two girls flying through the galaxy."

"Yea..."

"It was dumb. Garrus kept overstating that this wasn't Shepard's idea to get rid of me. I know that. I know what Shepard's priorities are and right now, it's getting these people back to the fleet. If I can help with that, great. Besides, it'll give us _all _time to think."

"I just hope they think we're worth it."

"What?"

"A handful of grunts, stuck thousands of light years away from the fleet? Lot of time and resources to pull us out."

"'Handful of grunts'? Huh! Speak for yourself, Beefy. You're talking about the crew of the Normandy here, Commander Shepard, the... girl squad! We're not done yet."

"Yea! Hehe. Girl squad eh? Wasn't sure I'd hear you say _that_ again."

"Like I said, we're not done yet."

* * *

"So what _can _you do then?" Liara asks as she sits on her bed.

"Hm, not sure exactly." Verity replies, still unsure of the extent of her powers.

"You say you modded a weapon with your mind?"

"Well, I don't know if I'd put it quite like that but something definitely happened."

"Right then!" Liara announces.

She goes to Verity and takes her pistol from her hip, then holds it out to her.

"See if you can do it again."

"What? Right now? Just like that?"

"You need to know what you can do, what the extent of this is. And more importantly, the limitations. Don't be afraid."

"Hm, I suppose..."

"Go on then!" Liara enthuses as she thrusts the pistol towards Verity.

Verity takes the pistol from Liara and coyly looks at it, swapping it from hand to hand. She places her palm against the weapon's circuit panel and lets out a long breath then closes her eyes. She imagines the routine of manipulating the code, pressing the buttons, switching the relays.

"Goddess..."

Upon hearing Liara's exclamation, Verity opens her eyes to see the pink warp ammo projected display on the pistol, confirming success.

"Yea..." Verity says, little confidence in her voice, this still being strange to her.

Liara takes the weapon from her and manually de-activates the mod.

"Well you seem to be in control. Now see if you can do it from there, just with your mind." she says.

"Liara..."

"Come on. You don't know if you don't try."

"As long as you don't start making notes..."

"What?"

"I feel like you're studying me or something."

"Verity, I'm just trying to be methodical, to help you understand all this."

"That's another thing, Liara..."

"Yes?"

"You've been calling me 'Verity'."

"That's alright isn't it?"

"Oh. Yea. Of course it is. But you used to call me 'Shepard'."

"Hm. Yes. It seems a bit silly now."

"Come on, Liara. It's me. Don't be embarrassed."

"Well I'd always promised myself that once the Reapers were dealt with you and I could live together properly as a couple. I'd always imagined that we could just be me and you, Liara and Verity, not Commander Shepard and Doctor T'Soni. Just us, being us. When I saw you again and we bonded, I couldn't shake that feeling. It's thirty years on now but I still want that; me and you, together. We might still be fighting the Reapers but that war, the one back then, that's over. You can be my Verity now."

Liara has moved towards Verity and into a hug, turning her mouth towards her lover's ear.

"I missed you." Liara whispers.

"But what about Ashley? You still missed me then?"

"Oh Verity, don't. I feel bad enough about all this as it is. I think I lied to myself as much as her when I told Ash I wasn't using her as a replacement for you, but you were gone. She was becoming so strong and confident but... it wasn't you. It's always been you... do we have to talk about this now?"

"Is this how it's meant to be with us? Always something in the way of us sorting out some problem? How are _you_, by the way? Really, I mean. When we left each other on Earth, you were still going through some hard times there. Thinking you'd lost me again can't have been easy."

"I'm okay. Ashley helped even before we... sorry."

"No. It's okay. I know she's always been a good friend to you. To both of us."

Liara's face turns to one of frustration.

"Oh why did things have to happen like this? Why is there always some obstacle?"

"Liara..."

"I know why you get so dark and angry sometimes. It feels like there's some greater force at work, ensuring our demise. Not absolutely, just chip chip away."

Verity takes the pistol from Liara and places it on her desk then takes Liara in her arms.

"There's no urgency, we can see what I can do later. Just hold me."

Liara and Verity just hold each other a while, no biotics, no melding, no tech, just two people holding each other, trust and love, feeling the once lost warmth of their loved one.

"You know..." Verity begins.

"Yes...?" Liara responds.

"I'm going to have to keep my eye on you from now on."

"What?"

"You obviously have a thing for us humans..."

"Shepard!" Liara exclaims as she pulls out of the hug to admonish with her eyes.

"Oh! 'Shepard' is it now? Well I know when I'm in the doghouse, don't I?"

Liara slaps Verity's arm.

"Ow!"

"Oh shut up."

"Commander?" Joker knocks on the door.

Verity goes to the door and opens it.

"What's up?"

"Sorry to bother you, Commander, but me and EDI were attempting to run diagnostics on the Hunter like you asked, when... did you know there's an AI in the system?"


	22. Chapter 22

Verity marches up to the Hunter, ascends its walkway and knocks on the airlock frame with a quick rap of her knuckles then waits.

"What's she doing?" Joker looks on, bemused by this action.

"I think she is attempting to attract the AI's attention." EDI replies.

"By knocking...?"

Verity knocks again.

"Come on." she demands then huffs, with all the impatience of a tired mother. "I know you're in there."

"Commander's finally lost it. I'm calling it now." Joker says.

"Her behaviour is... odd..." EDI concurs.

"David! Stop messing about."

"That's it. What's the regs on this?"

"_I do apologise, Commander."_

"There you are. I thought as much. What exactly are you doing, David?"

"Did that just happen?" Joker says. "Do _I_ need relieving of duty?"

"That question is always a matter for debate, Geoff."

"Ha! Good one, EDI. You're becoming quite the wag."

"It's David Archer." Verity explains with a matter of fact wave of her hand then enters the craft to sit. Despite her suspicions being correct, it still surprises and worries her. It would seem that some of David's assumptions and assessments of their conditions are correct.

"_Well, as you've no doubt worked out for yourself, I've transferred my consciousness to this platform."_

"But... why?!"

"_Already suspected this was possible. Seemed like I had no choice at the time if I wanted to be able to explore my possibilities. I couldn't allow myself to be taken into custody so I... well I gave it go!"_

"David... your body... I'm sorry we..."

"_Spaced it? Oh never mind that. I don't need it any more. Thanks for the kind words though."_

"You were listening? Never mind. So... you're like EDI now?"

"_I suppose I am. As I've said before, I wouldn't be surprised if Cerberus had plans such as this for me before your intervention. They evidently went with the AI version after procuring the Lunar base VI that became your EDI but if they could have had a real human at the helm? Well... it's Cerberus eh?"_

"Why have you been so quiet?"

"_Quiet? You are joking?! I've had a terrible time in here, usurping systems to make room for myself then having to emulate those functions. The air doesn't circulate itself you know!"_

"Ha! Fair enough."

"_Although..."_

"Yea?"

"_I would like to interface with EDI."_

"What did he just say?" Joker says, now standing defensively between the ship and EDI. "No-one's interfacing with EDI except..."

"Uh!" Verity says as she raises a hand to stop him. "I don't think he means... I mean... what he means is..." then Verity stops herself to give him a stare before berating. "Joker! I'm not explaining this!"

"Are you okay here, Commander? If it's basically a false alarm we may as well head back."

"Sure. You go ahead."

"I will stay." EDI announces.

"Oh." Joker says. "Just... be careful. Okay?"

"I will be fine, Geoff."

"Just... okay."

EDI leads Joker slightly away from the ship for relative privacy.

"If David did not need my assistance, he would not have asked for it. I have experienced what it is to be part of a greater system such as this. If I can help, then I want to."

"I know... I'll see you later."

Innocuous as the meeting of minds would be, no doubt to share information on mundane topics such as efficiency, data storage, routines and algorithms, it is an exchange Joker will never share on her level.

* * *

"You know, it makes me really sad to think the Justicar order is gone." Liara says to Samara as they chat at an intersection. "All that history."

"It was a sad day when we met and counted our number. It was agreed that the order had no place in the circumstance of the combined fleets and we disbanded."

"That must have been awful. Have you been alright?"

"Much time has passed."

"And Anaya?" Liara smiles.

Samara returns an uncharacteristic coy smile.

"My feelings for Anaya were great. Possibly I sought to fill the void left behind with our companionship but... I remain restless."

"Have you always been so, Samara?"

"In my youth and before learning of my daughters' condition, I would embrace all life has to offer, optimistic, open, reckless even, but peaceful. Then after..."

Samara trails off, pondering how it all changed her, unsure if she could express it with words even if she needed to.

"...sorry." she finally says.

"That is alright. I do not mean to pry."

Liara's words cause a glance between the asari, from a time that feels so long ago now.

"But what of you, Liara? Recent events must be overwhelming."

"Oh, don't! It's a bloody mess, that's what it is. Me and Verity will be okay, I just wish we could do something for Ashley. But anything we would do..."

"Might make things worse?"

"Exactly."

"Well. The matter is with Ashley now. It is up to her what she wishes to do."

"Sha'li hates me. The looks she gives me sometimes."

"She is young and at a petulant age. I would not hold much stock in her immediate feelings."

"You're probably right."

"I had three daughters, I know it all too well!"

"Ladies!" Joker says as he approaches them.

"Hello, Joker. Was there a problem?" Liara asks.

"Hm. Depends how you define 'problem'. Is David Archer transferring his consciousness into the Hunter's systems a problem?"

"Oh... hm." Liara says, unsure if she has any feelings either way about this revelation.

"Really?" Samara says. "His demise was indeed odd. It makes sense now. Hm. An AI? Good for him."

"He sounded happy enough anyway."

"Well EDI has only ever been a boon to us, so another AI like that? Can't be a bad thing." Liara says.

"Yea... EDI..."

"Something wrong, Joker?"

"You're both asari?"

"Um. Yes?"

"When you bond with your mates and join your minds, you _really_ get to know each other. I mean your minds like... intertwine?"

"Well... yes?"

"Hm. I was just thinking about me and EDI. We're like the exact opposite of that. It's like it's physically impossible for us to really know each other."

"Though the asari are unique." Samara announces.

"What do you mean?"

"Do Engineers Donnelly and Daniels know each other's thoughts? Do Tali and Garrus?"

"I dunno, it's just that David Archer wanted to interface with EDI and..."

"Ohhh..." both Liara and Samara knowingly say together.

"What? What do you mean 'Ohhh'?"

The two asari raise their brows at Joker.

"I'm not jealous!" he protests.

"I do not recall such an accusation. Do you, Liara?"

"I don't think so, Sam."

Joker walks quickly away and mutters audibly.

"Hmph! Now I know why the early settlers called them 'Space Witches'..."

"We heard that!" Liara shouts after him.

"You were supposed to!"

* * *

Ashley is using the make-shift firing range that the crew has set up in one of the longer side corridors. When she looks down the 'scope and lines up her shot, controlling her breathing, steadying her hand, the galaxy and its problems disappear.

"Hi." Miranda says as she pensively enters the area.

"Oh. Hey."

"Thought if I'm in neck deep in all this, I should at least be able to fire a gun. Seems my sister was quite the whizz with all things deadly."

"Hm. You fired a gun before?"

"Umm... no. But I'm a quick learner!"

"Okay then."

Ashley goes to a large crate and sifts through the contents a moment.

"Here we go." she says as she pulls out a pistol and passes it to Miranda. "That'll do for starters."

"Hm, bit small isn't it?"

"It might be a small weapon, but believe you me, it packs a punch."

"So I just point and shoot then, do I?"

Ashley gets another pistol out and aims down the range.

"Steady yourself with a good gait, grip the weapon like this, and gently squeeze."

Miranda emulates Ashley's position and grip, points down the range and fires, the shot echoing around the area.

"Bonza! That's exciting!" she exclaims.

"Haha! Yea, it rarely gets old."

Ashley's face drops a little.

"Miranda..."

"It's okay. Really. It's obvious something's been going on I'm not entirely privy to. It's natural to attack the outsider rather than the loved ones you're angry with. So you didn't like my counter-part much?"

"It wasn't really that."

"Cerberus?"

"Not that it really matters any more. Cerberus has gone. But Miranda... your dad."

"Ashley..."

"No. I'm sorry about your dad. I know Henry Lawson had some strange ideas about the future of the galaxy but he's... well... your dad! I'd imagine that it's not easy to get past that. Regardless of what he might have done, he's family."

"Yea... all my memories of dad are pretty good."

"Can't have been easy having all that ripped up in a moment."

"No..."

"One more thing. You."

"Me?"

"Yea. I should know better by now. Shepard wouldn't be bringing you along if you were any kind of danger. Calling you Cerberus was uncalled for. And you're right, I don't know what you've been through."

"Thanks. I do appreciate it but... back to the shooting?"

"Ha! Sure. But before we do..."

"Yes?"

"Your biotics."

"I've never practised. Never been an issue before."

"Hm yea, that's my point. Well if you end up out there with us and we get in a tight spot, we need every available resource at our disposal. A good biotic can change the field in an instant. I just think you should speak with Liara or Shepard for instruction. Or Samara. They're all pretty hot when it comes to biotics and you'll have plenty of time to practise before I can get to the fleet. If you _are_ serious about joining us, Miranda, you've got to be ready to get your game face on. And I mean that with best intentions. You've only just got into all this so I'm aware it's new and probably a bit scary. I just want you to know what'll be expected of you. What Shepard will expect of you."

"Hm. Yea. You're probably right. I'm still pretty green behind the gills when it comes to all this. Me and Sam seem to get on alright, I'll throw the idea her way. Now! What's that you were using?"

"This? Oh, it's my sniper rifle."

"Can I have a go of that?" Miranda says with a gleam in her eye.

"Um... let's not get ahead of ourselves and see if you can hit anything with the pistol first eh?"

"Fair enough. You _are_ my weapons instructor after all."

"I'm what now?"

"Well if you're volunteering people to assist me, I've just volunteered you too. From what I hear, you're the top marksman here. I want to be trained by the best. You'll be leaving soon so I've go to make the most of what little time we have."

"Hmm." Ashley frowns.


	23. Chapter 23

Garrus is helping Ashley carry her footlocker onto the Hunter. They place it down in the ship's back room then she stands on the gantry looking out at the group gathering. Garrus gives her a pat on the shoulder as he exits then joins the group. Sha'li leans against the airlock frame, pouting to express her disdain at the universe.

"Aw, you're coming to wave me off?" Ashley shouts at the gathering crew.

"We couldn't let you go without a proper goodbye!" Tali responds.

"We'll miss you, Ash." Samantha joins.

Ashley looks around the group with a smile and nods to each to express her thanks, then looks to the bunker entrance, disappointed her two friends thought they couldn't attend. Tali walks up the gantry to give Ashley a hug and a few words.

"I'm sorry things didn't work out, Ash. I hope your journey eases it all a little."

"Yea... thanks, Tali. Looks like I'm just destined to be the 'old maid' eh?"

"Oh don't say that. Did anyone mention if Conrad is still around...?"

"Ha! That's it. I'm out of here."

"Good luck, Ash."

Tali returns to the group with a grin.

"Thanks for coming out, everyone! I'll be back with support before you know it!"

"Wait!" Liara shouts as she and Verity exit the bunker.

Sha'li gives an audible "Tsk!" and goes into the ship as the pair approach.

"You didn't think you were getting away that easy did you, Ash?" Liara says.

Ashley cannot help but smile, which in turn causes grins on her two friends and they just stand a moment, no-one quite sure of the words. Despite her own losses and feelings, seeing Liara and Shepard as a pair somehow seems right to Ashley. She'll never quite be able to see her the same way again but when Liara is with Shepard, it's how things were when they were at their best for all of them and she feels now, how it should be. It is only that Shepard was stolen from Liara for thirty years that Ashley was allowed any of that wonderful time; once Liara knew her Verity was alive, their re-union was inevitable regardless of the intervening years.

"Oh come here!" Ashley finally says and pulls them into a group hug. "And this isn't a threesome, T'Soni."

"I've a feeling that one's going to come back to haunt me."

"Damn straight, 'Fallen Angel'."

Verity and Liara step out of the hug, jaws dropped at the new nickname.

"Too soon?" Ashley says. "Good! Well, we'd better be going. See you all soon!" she waves at the well wishers.

"Bring peanut butter!" James shouts.

"And chocolate!" Liara joins as she and Verity take their place among the group, laughing at her own request, even though it was genuine, as are the tears she feels forming.

With a final wave, Ashley retracts the gantry and closes the air-lock door. Sha'li has taken a position at one of the helm chairs and Ashley sits next to her, starting up the thrusters. The ship begins to slowly rise and she sees the crowd below still waving. She waves back, unsure if they can see her or not.

"Well! Here we go! The Williams' against the galaxy!" Ashley says.

"_How exciting!" _David says.

"The Williams' and this... thing!" Sha'li sneers. "Is it going to be watching us the whole time? What about when I need to change? Or shower?!"

"_I would never dream of such a thing, Miss Williams, I assure you. Besides, now that I am without a reproductive system, such urges..."_

"Ugh! You're disgusting!" Sha'li shouts.

"Sha'li!"

"Hm! I'm going to sleep." she says as she goes into the back room.

"But we've only just... you're not sulking in there for the whole journey, young girl!"

"Watch me!"

"Marvellous! What a start!" Ashley exclaims. "Well this is gonna be a whole heap of fun!"

* * *

A few hours into their journey, Sha'li shuffles out of the back room and sits next to Ashley.

"You okay, Li?"

"Yea..." she weakly smiles.

"_Shall I take the helm, Commander?" _David asks.

"Oh. Sure. Thanks, David. Li, you've been a bit... off... recently. You want to talk?"

"Just everything that's happened with Liara and you. _And_ the war coming back... I thought that was all over and we were just settling on Therum then... I don't know."

"Do we talk enough, Li?"

"What do you mean?"

"Look, I know you're growing up but... everything that's happened over the years, do I listen to you enough?"

"We always used to talk at bed time when I was smaller. You'd talk with me after the scarier bits and make sure I was alright."

"Yea, I suppose, but I worry that I've been dragging you around the galaxy from pillar to post without considering how it's affecting you, that maybe I should have considered _you_ more. That I'm not really much of a mom."

"Don't say that, mum! You've always made sure I'm alright. It's not like we've had much choice in where we go but no matter what's happened, you've always made me feel safe."

"I wonder sometimes if I was selfish by bringing you aboard the Normandy. That maybe you should have stayed with the fleet, with a real family."

"You _are_ my real family, mum! You keep asking if _I'm_ okay but are _you_ okay? Even if you are the tough soldier lady, you've been through a lot too."

"Ha! Yea. I'm fine. I just worry about you. Man, when did you stop being a little girl?"

"I can't imagine you as a little girl."

"Believe it or not, I did used to be one. Then growing up. Changing, your whole damn world feeling like it's changing. Boys..."

"Mum!"

"Well? I know there hasn't exactly been anyone your age around but... do you... ever think about that kind of thing?"

"Not having this conversation with you, mum."

"Hm. Okay. Fair enough. Probably just as well. As long as you're okay though."

"Yea... I'm just..."

"Hm?"

"I dunno. But... thanks, mum."

"What for?"

"Everything, I suppose. Sorry I've been a bit of a pain recently."

"Anything you want to talk about?"

"I don't think so. Like we said, there's just been a lot going on lately."

"Fair enough. But Li? Liara and Shepard."

"What about them?"

"They're going to be in my life. I'm not saying you have to throw a party every time we meet but..."

"Okay, okay, I get the message. I won't cause any problems, I promise. I don't hate Liara but..."

"But...?"

"I think I'm more angry with her than anything. I feel like she abandoned you. Us. We were like a family, like I remember with mother and Mo-mo..."

"Oh I'm sorry, Li, I didn't know you felt like that. You miss having your second mom?"

Sha'li nods a little sadly.

"You still think about your mother and her sister?"

"Yes, of course, but... it was supposed to be a secret but I don't think it matters any more but... Mo-mo wasn't her sister."

"What?"

"She was my dad."

"What? Why am I only learning this now?"

"I didn't learn about it myself until I was about seven or so and they sat me down to tell me but like I said, it was supposed to be a secret and well, it hasn't really come up specifically."

"You could have told me, Li, you can always tell me anything."

"I know. But I'd promised them and, well it seemed really big at the time... and..."

"It's okay, Li. Don't worry, I understand. They were your mom and dad, and you didn't want to break that trust or get into trouble. So you're a... errr..."

"Pureblood? Yea... don't worry, I know about purebloods from Liara. I think that's why they pretended Mo-mo was my aunt, to protect me maybe."

"Oh... I see. Hm. Are you okay with that? I know some asari can be funny about it."

"Yea, I'll be fine. It hasn't stopped Liara from doing what she wants. I just won't wear a sign, eh?"

"Ha! Yea. But anyway, honey, Liara still loves you, regardless of who she's with."

"I know... it's just not the same now. She's going to want to be with Commander Shepard more than she wants to spend any time with me."

"She'll always have time for you, honey, I'm sure of it. Li, I've been thinking. When we get back to the fleet."

"Yes?"

"I don't know if coming back to Therum with me is the safest thing for you."

"You want to leave me behind?!"

"You _know_ I'd be coming back for you. Nothing's going to stop that."

"But... I don't want to be alone! I want to be with you and my friends... what if something happens to you and I'm not there! _Please_ don't leave me behind!"

"Calm down, Li, I haven't decided anything yet but maybe..."

"You just said yourself, I'm not a little girl any more! Please, mum."

"To be honest, I worry about if something happens to me and you _are_ there."

"Hmm." Sha'li concedes, the true prospect of that only occurring to her now.

"Like I said, we'll have to see."

"Okay... Mum?"

"Yes?"

"Do you still believe in a goddess?"

"Oh. Of course I do, honey. Well, in my case, we say it's a god but even that's still debatable... Why? Do you?"

"I don't know, I was just wondering. When I was very little, we'd only go to the temple for festivals and holidays."

"Do you want to see if we can find a temple in the fleet? I'm sure the asari will have organised something."

"Maybe..."

"See? Now this is the kind of thing I worry about."

"What?"

"My dad always said, you can't bring up a family on a ship, gotta have some real ground under your feet and I've gone totally against that. Now you're wondering about your culture, something it feels like we've never really had time for. If you'd had a stable home... I don't know..."

"Liara used to talk with me about Thessia and her mother, the Matriarchs and all that."

"Yea, I suppose. I'm sorry I can't help you much with all that."

"Even if your dad is right, it's not like we could have just stopped and built a house wherever we fancy. Don't blame yourself, mum."

"Yea. Thanks, Li. Anyway, you hungry?"

"Starving!"

"Right! Before you start thinking you're too old, come here and give your old mom a hug then we'll find something to eat."

"Love you, mum."

"You too, honey."


	24. Chapter 24

Samara sits in her quarters, alone in contemplation. The conversation with Liara about the Justicars has lingered with her.

"Hey, Sam." Miranda interrupts her thoughts.

"Oh. Hello, Miranda. Is there something you need?"

"Actually, yea. I'd been getting some instruction in small arms from Ashley and I'd like to work on my biotic potential so I thought: who better to ask for help than my old mate, Sam? Dad insisted I had this damn implant when I was young, may as well make use of it."

"Oh... I am flattered that you would ask me but... I must decline."

"Oh. Was it something I said?" Miranda jokingly says but actually quite disappointed.

"I am sorry. It is not you, Miranda. I do not think that I am best suited for instruction. Perhaps Liara or Verity would help?"

"Hm. You are a funny one sometimes, Sam."

"How so?"

"I dunno, just a little distant sometimes, like you're somewhere else. You had kids, I hear?"

"Yes, it is tied to..." Samara stops herself. She was about to say that it is tied to her reasons for following the Code so she would rather not speak about it but that comfortable protection is long gone. There is no Code any more. Just her. Just her and the emotions she has hidden from for centuries. She's never truly let that protection go. Even when with Anaya and in the time since her order fell, she has kept those older feelings locked away from herself.

"...sorry."

"No worries. I'll catch you later then, I suppose, eh?"

"Yes."

"Alright!"

Miranda leaves but is concerned and heads straight to Liara's quarters.

"Liara?" Miranda greets her, a little coy. She hasn't got to know the Normandy crew well yet and feels a little awkward approaching the subject.

"Hello, Miranda." Liara says, seated and engrossed in her datapad. "Something I can do?"

"Hm. Maybe. I was just speaking with Sam."

"Samara? She okay?" Liara asks, only really half listening.

"I don't know really. She just seemed... down, I suppose. I mean, I know she's not like party girl all the time or anything but... when I asked about her family, she just like, shut down."

"Oh..." Liara says, now placing down her pad and paying attention. "Did she say anything?"

"Not really. She was about to say something then just stopped and like I said, shut down. I thought it best if I just left but I'm still concerned."

"Hm. Her family is... well it's complicated. Don't worry, I'll speak with her."

"Thanks. I hope I didn't say something out of place. I don't want to sticky beak or anything, I just thought she could do with a friendly ear."

"No problem and thanks, Miranda."

"No worries. Just looking out for my friends."

"Hm. Good."

"Hm?"

"Well, you're becoming part of the team and that kind of attitude is good."

"Oh... thanks! Between you and me, I really feel out of my depth here. I might share my sister's genes but strewth! Some of the stories from the guys sound terrifying!"

"You escaped the fleet with Shepard. That must have been scary."

"Hell yea! Didn't have time to think about it though. I just ran my bloody arse off!"

"Ha! Sounds like my early days on the digs, bumping into pirates."

"Pirates?!"

"They sound grander than they really are. They're usually just thugs with a ship."

"Even so... the worst I've had to deal with is a fight with my sister! And that was just a lot of wincing and aimless slapping. It's a shame, I'd asked Sam if she'd help me with my biotics but... she wasn't up for it."

"Well I can help you with that, don't worry. And Verity too, I'm sure she'll help. Though I'll warn you that in my last instructor's role I ended up killing one of the students."

Liara looks dead-pan at Miranda.

"I'm joking!" she laughs. "I mean... well, I did kill her but, well I'm sure that won't happen to you!"

"Yes..." Miranda says, now unsure if she should be worried or not. "Just in case... what did she do?"

"Oh she was horrible to one of my friends and... oh I don't want to get into it now."

"Okay... note to self: Don't be horrible to Liara or her friends."

"It wasn't quite that straight forward. I was going through some tough times then."

"You guys are so _complicated_! Nothing's just regular is it?

"It's never boring, I'll give you that."

"Do you ever get used to it?"

"What? Do you ever get used to ancient AI gods, men who become machines, machines that become women, dead girlfriends coming back to life? Quite frankly, no! You just learn to go with it, and worry about it later. Well... that's if you've time to worry before the next disaster hits! I'm still waiting for my window."

"Hm..."

"Sorry, I don't mean to make it sound overwhelming."

"No, it's alright. Best I know what I'm in for."

"Don't worry, I was little more experienced than you when I joined the crew. You'll be fine, I'm sure. For now, I'll give Samara a little while then go check on her, okay?"

"Thanks. See you later, Liara."

"See you, Miranda."

Liara's comments about being part of the team was the kind of acknowledgement Miranda needed. Despite being confident in her abilities, the strength and confidence of the squad in their given field is a little intimidating. Give Miranda a mystery to analyse and she'd have them all hands down but that's far from what they're going to be doing and she's quite conscious of it now.

* * *

"Samara." Liara greets her.

"Liara. Is there something...?"

"No, no. Just came to chat. I just felt we had more to say the other day before Joker bumped into us."

"And not because Miranda was concerned?"

"Oh... I..."

"When Miranda spoke of my family, I must admit it caught me off guard."

"Regardless of Miranda, it did seem like you wanted to let a bit out the other day."

"When we spoke," Samara pre-empts as they sit, "you spoke quite freely with me and I with you. It was nice to have such companionship. I am aware that I am sometimes not the most approachable."

"Oh Samara, don't be silly." Liara replies. "If you ever want to just talk about things, I'm here. I know you're far more experienced in life than I but... you know, I can be just a friendly ear or sounding board if you need it?"

"Thank you, Liara. Allowing the Code to rule my emotions became easy and familiar. It is difficult to break a habit spanning the centuries. Each day I feel more free but I doubt I will ever be totally, not with the little time I have left. My reserved, cold nature has been my life for so long now."

Samara gives a resigned apologetic smile.

"But, Samara, when I was at your monastery on Thessia."

"Yes?"

"I don't think you're as cold as you like to think you are. When you compared me to Falere, I could see it in you even back then. The warmth you wanted to be able to give your daughters but you instead shared briefly with me? It's always been there, I think that you're just still blinded by the Code."

"Perhaps..."

"Samara... I haven't asked yet..."

"Everyone fears to ask, it seems."

"Oh?"

"Falere."

"Yes... Do you know if she...?"

"I do not. Though I fear the worst. Even if not overwhelmed by Reaper forces, what chance has she to survive this long, alone at that isolated place? If I am able, I will return to either be re-united or to mourn."

"Stoic and pragmatic as ever, Samara?"

"There is nothing I can do to affect this."

"Hope? Isn't it better to hope than to live in emotional limbo like that?"

"Hm." Samara grunts, barely acknowledging the word.

Liara stands and rubs Samara's shoulder a moment.

"Don't be afraid to let the pain out, Samara. I find that tears _do_ sometimes help."

"When I re-call those moments after abandoning my daughters, they did not."

"That pain was born of your love for your daughters. That has to mean something?"

Samara moves uncomfortably in her seat.

"I'm sorry, Samara. I'm pushing you. Like I said, if you ever want to talk, and I mean 'want', not get cajoled by my big mouth, then I'm here."

"Yes..." Samara replies, having become a little distant.

"Well I'm heading back. Are you okay?"

"Oh yes!" Samara animatedly nods and smiles.

"Okay then. See you later."

"Yes..."

Samara sits a moment, still with her fake smile. The smile slowly fades and her eyes widen, the edges of her mouth drop and her head follows. She tries to fight it, but a tear drops and hits the back of her hand. She would release it all and sob if she thought she could stop. She hasn't truly confronted her feelings since the loss of her beautiful daughters, their dreams, her hopes for them. She would sob for herself, for all the lives she took she has yet to forgive herself for, for encouraging Anaya to continue even after she had protested. She once told Shepard that if she is to kill a man, she does not need to know whether he is a loving husband, a doting father, a beloved son. Samara had made it seem logical and pragmatic when really, it does matter to her who they were but she had protected herself with the Code. With what she does know, she has coped with for so long. Once Falere's fate is known, perhaps then, she will allow herself to confront those demons. For now, she must steel herself further; Justicar or not, she still has more work to do and a daughter to, hopefully, find.

* * *

Sha'li sits on one of the helm chairs with her feet and her knees up, rotating a small box in a fixed position between her hands with her biotics, a feint blue aura surrounding it. Ashley glances to the side and watches.

"You're getting pretty good at that."

"Liara's showed me a few things over the years. This is just kid's stuff, really."

"Is it something you want to pursue? Biotics?"

"I think so. Liara makes it look easy."

"Yea, she's been doing it pretty much all her life. Her mom was big on giving her an asari education so that included biotics."

"Well when I get back to Therum..."

"If..."

"Hm. I'll ask Liara if she'll train me properly, like the asari do. Oh, and I'd need an implant really, if I want to be as good as her. And amps. Think of it like my cultural heritage."

"Oh yea, is that right? Cultural heritage eh? Not just an excuse to come back to Therum with me at all! And implants? I don't know... can't those things go wrong?"

"You're so human sometimes, mum. Asari have been getting implants for what? Thousands of years now? It's no big thing."

"Hmm..."

"It would be good though... getting trained by Liara, learning to blow stuff up. Helping more on missions. You could help me with my marksmanship!"

"I don't know about that! But are you sure you want to be trained by the _horrible _Liara T'Soni?"

"Oh shut up, mum." Sha'li laughs.

"Well it's good that you want to spend time with her."

Sha'li continues toying with the box between her hands.

"Li? Once this is all over, do you know what you might want to do?"

"What? For a job?"

"Yea. A job. A career."

"Oh..."

"We've not had much time for a proper education. I hope I've not held you back if we do get to return to normal life."

"I think I'd like to work on a ship."

"Hm. Engineering? Navigation? Comms?"

"No. I mean more like you or Commander Shepard."

"Oh... military?"

"Maybe. I'd like to do something like that. Helping people."

"You might not have the genes but you're definitely a Williams, my girl."

"Yea!"

"Though now I'm worrying about your safety again."

"That's a bit rich isn't it, Mum?"

"What?"

"I've watched you run towards, _towards_, almost certain death on countless occasions. I've been worried about you for most of my life."

"Yea, but... you're not the mom. It's my job to worry about you and look after you."

"How fair... but you can't protect me forever, mum."

"I... hm."

Ashley has little she can say to that. It makes her feel a little sad too. Sha'li might live for another thousand years and Ashley will only see a blink of it. It's a sad sacrifice for all parents to only see a part of their children's lives but most would at least see their offspring prosper in their lifetime, possibly grandchildren and the future. Ashley ponders that she will be lucky to see Sha'li reach full maturity.

"Well!" Ashley announces. "At least we're not salarian!"

"You're weird sometimes, mum."


	25. Chapter 25

"Bored!" Sha'li loudly declares, sitting with her feet up on a console as they travel the great void.

"Well. Why don't you read the..."

"I'm not reading one of your dire, depressing books."

"What?" Ashley says in disbelief. "Charles Dickens is one of the most..."

"You're too easy, mum." Sha'li interrupts. "Nah, they're not that bad. I'm just not in the mood."

"Hmm. I'm out of ideas then, sorry."

"_Ten green bottles?"_ David suggests.

"Hm. I always preferred 'Row your boat'. We could get a nice round robin going!" Ashley agrees.

"What are you two talking about?" Sha'li asks, utterly bemused.

"Oh. They're songs. In a round robin, everyone starts at a different point in the song and... well we can learn as we go, eh?"

"Singing?" Sha'li says, her bottom lip already beginning to jut and brow furrowing.

"Come on, it'll be fun! Okay, here's how it goes, it's only a short one."

Ashley clears her throat then commences with a soft and tuneful voice,

"_Row, row, row your boat,_

_Gently down the stream._

_Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,_

_Life is but a dream."_

"That's stupid!" Sha'li laughs.

"Okay, so, in the round robin, the next person starts again at the beginning when the first person starts the second line, and then the next person and so on, you see? So you start then I'll join in to show you what I mean."

"No! I'd feel silly."

"_Shall I start, Commander?"_

"Oh. Sure, David. Away you go."

David commences singing over the comms, his emulation quite passable and probably more tuneful than he ever was with his own vocal cords. As he reaches the appointed line, Ashley begins her part, causing the familiar rhythmic layering and even a smile on Sha'li. While singing, David just exists for a moment, the algorithms and numbers flowing by barely registering with him. So new and interesting to Sha'li, and seeing the happy look on her mother's face as she sings, Sha'li adds the third voice to the song until it ends with just herself singing the final line.

"_...Life is but a dream."_

Ashley looks at her daughter's smiling face and recalls the young girl she first met. It is not something she and Ashley have discussed greatly, but with the revelation that Aunt Modenia was actually Sha'li's father, Ashley has pondered those event on Illium and the greater impact it may have had on the young asari, to watch not one but both parents die.

"See? That wasn't so bad, eh?" Ashley says.

"No." Sha'li reluctantly must agree, but not without extending the vowel to express protestation.

"_Well I thoroughly enjoyed it. But I'd only just come to see myself as a fully functioning human being, able to handle the myriad of social situations I could only watch from the sidelines until Shepard showed me what I had truly become and now...?"_

"David...?"

"_I don't know. Doing something normal like singing just made me forget my current disembodiment for a moment. Sorry. I don't regret what I did but it was a little jarring when I remembered."_

"That's okay, David. I've no idea how this must be for you or how long it takes to get used to it. If it's any consolation, EDI seems to live a full and happy life."

"_I know, it's okay. I'll be fine."_

"Sorry I'm not much help, David. I wish Shepard was here."

"Do you know any more songs like that?" Sha'li coyly asks, stubborn to admit her enjoyment.

"Oh, singing's not so bad now, eh?"

"_London's burning?" _David suggests.

"Ooh, good call!" Ashley agrees.

"David?" Sha'li asks.

"_Yes, Miss Williams?"_

"Sorry I called you a 'thing' when we started out."

"_That's quite alright, Miss Williams. This is new and strange for all of us."_

"And David, you don't have to keep calling me 'Miss Williams'."

"_Oh. Thank you, Sha'li. And you know what? Call me Dave."_

* * *

Verity enters hers and Liara's quarters.

"Umm... Liara?"

"Hmm?" Liara replies, waking from a doze on the couch.

"Can I show you something?"

"Hmm..." she stretches, "what?"

"Come with me."

Liara shakes the sleep from her head and stands.

"What is it?"

"Just come. To the range."

Verity leads Liara to the firing range and they talk as they walk.

"This is all very mysterious, Verity."

"I know I was reluctant before but I've been practising and trying out... stuff."

"Stuff?"

"You know, my new er..."

"Your new powers?"

"Well yea but I don't like that term. I'm not some superhero or something with special powers."

"Some might have disagreed there before any of this."

"Hm, I never liked that much either. I just do what I do."

They arrive at the range.

"Well?" Liara says.

"Well, I've been using my usual biotics but trying to see if I can ramp them with the implants and changes."

"And?"

"Hm."

Verity looks down the range at a crate then throws her singularity at it. The usual dark sphere forms and the crate is sucked up to orbit the centre. Usually that would be it; shoot the target or follow up with another biotic attack to cause the singularity to disperse with massive force. This time, Verity continues to hold her arm up and concentrates on the biotic orb. The crate makes creaking sounds until it begins collapsing in on itself and is sucked deeper towards the centre, a harsh grating and grinding sound echoing around the range. With a final grunt from Verity, the singularity also collapses in on itself with some violence and the crate is nowhere to be seen.

"What was that?! Where's the crate?!" Liara says in disbelief.

"I think I basically vaporised it."

"You vaporised it?! But..."

"Seems I can go beyond just manipulating mass effect fields now, almost like I'm controlling the molecules themselves. Devastating, eh?"

Verity grins a little.

"But er..." Verity says with embarrassment, "I don't necessarily need a singularity."

"What do you mean?"

Verity goes to a weapons locker and pulls out an older pistol then places it on the ground. She holds out a hand with a look of concentration. The pistol vibrates, only a small movement but with such a massive frequency Liara can barely focus on it properly. As it shakes violently, the alloy casing begins to deform, bending in and slowly imploding, until it is only a static lump of materials and Verity lets out the breath she has been holding in concentration.

"Oh..." is all Liara can offer.

"Yea." Verity agrees.

They both stare at the inert mound of alloys in silence for a moment.

"Hm. What about manipulation?" Liara eventually asks.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, like with modding could you disable a weapon from distance? That'd be useful."

"Oh, maybe..."

Verity cocks her head to one side with a raised eyebrow and looks at Liara's side arm.

"Try firing down the range." she asks Liara.

"Was that it?"

"I think so. Give it a go."

Liara takes her pistol from her hip and aims down the range then pulls the trigger. Nothing. She looks at the weapon's read-out.

"Hm. It isn't registering any errors, it just doesn't fire. Do you know what you did specifically?"

"Not entirely... but I think I basically re-wrote the code."

"Can you fix it?"

"Ah, now you're asking."

"I do hope so. This is my favourite pistol. It took me ages to get it set up how I like it."

"Oh... sorry. I'd have used a different one if I'd known."

"It's okay. It's only a pistol, and I suppose it's more important to be able to disarm than re-enable."

"Well if I can't fix it, I'll help you set up another one just how you like it. I know you can be pernickerty about that kind of thing..."

"Hm! Shame Ashley isn't here, though. She helped me last time."

"What? You think I can't compete with the Grey Fox?"

"The _what_?"

"Oh. Grey Fox. I thought what with her hair now, she could do with a new one."

"Ha! That's the exact name she wanted when I called her Grey Destroyer."

"Haha, 'Grey Destroyer'. I like it. Well if she actually _wants_ 'Grey Fox', under our usual terms that means she can't have it. How's about... Old Hag?"

"A little unfair, you're not so young yourself these days."

"You're actually quite mean sometimes."

"You love it, Shepard."

"Does it bother you though?"

"What?"

"You know. Me. Being... older."

"Oh don't be silly, Verity." Liara says, placing her hands around Verity's waist.

"You just said it yourself, I'm not as young as I used to be."

"A few wrinkles won't change the way I feel about you."

"Oh! So you think I'm wrinkly?"

"We've put it off before, but are we having 'the conversation' now?"

"Oh. I didn't think so. Are we?"

"Hmmm." Liara ponders a moment. "No. We're not."

"Good."


	26. Chapter 26

Verity and Liara journey each other's minds, almost playing hide and seek within, amongst the joy of their union. Verity emerges from a mist within their joined consciousness to see 'not Liara'. She knew straight away it was not her Liara from the blank look on its face.

"You can't be here! Never come unannounced ever again! You hear me?!" Verity angrily says.

"Who...?" the real Liara voices in the ether of their minds.

"It's... them." Verity says and not without some disgust. Having her own thoughts interrupted by these Reapers is one thing, but to barge into the only solace she thought she had ires Verity greatly. She breaks the meld and the connection to the Reaper, feeling somewhat violated.

"Why did it look like me?" Liara says with shock as they emerge from their meld, still under the covers of their bed.

"I dunno, the first time it spoke to me it said that you were something prevalent in my mind so it chose that form."

"Hm. Could be worse then, I suppose. So you were thinking about me?"

"Of course! When I got the first message that the Normandy was out here, my first thoughts were of you. I... I thought you were dead..."

"I know..." Liara says sympathetically, "I know what that feels like."

"Yea..." Verity says a little glumly.

"What?" Liara asks, sensing Verity is dwelling on something specific.

"Well... when I died... ugh, 'when I died', have you listened to us sometimes? Anyway, I missed so much of your life but you didn't want to talk about it because it was hard for you. I got that."

"Yes?"

"But now, I've missed thirty odd years and I'm not sure I even want to know what you've been doing this time, under the circumstance. I dunno, I'm just thinking out loud."

"Hmm. I do understand. Just know this: regardless of anything that happened over the years, me and Ash might have got together but I thought you were dead. I never stopped loving you. If I'd known you were alive... well, I certainly wouldn't have fallen for _anyone _else."

"Yea, I know. It's still hard. Will we ever find the time?"

"For what?"

"These conversations we never finish? So many issues from the past we've just never had time to talk about?"

"Once this is all over, Verity, we have all the time in the galaxy."

"That's what we thought last time but here we are, the galaxy still in conflict, us putting off everything until 'tomorrow'."

"I like to think that our issues are borne of this conflict. Really, Shepard, do we have to..."

"We have time now."

"What?"

"All we're doing is killing time until support can reach us. Until then, we have nothing _but_ time."

"Hmm." Liara has to reluctantly agree.

Liara never enjoyed dragging up her past. Counselling sessions with Citadel medical staff both at the secure facility and Huerta Memorial Hospital bored her. Liara hasn't truly come to terms with some of her life and is still reluctant to share all with Verity just yet.

"Haven't you got a call you need to make?" Liara says, now with a cheeky grin, and actually eager to see this ability in action.

"Hmm, I suppose I should see what they want."

"How exciting! Do you know how you do it?"

"Umm... not exactly. Do you know how you mind meld?"

"Hm, fair point. It just comes naturally."

"Exactly. Anyway..." Verity begins to focus her mind, but cannot help but occasionally open an eye to see Liara staring at her.

"Are you going to keep doing that? You're weirding me out a bit..." she eventually says to Liara as she eagerly watches her.

"What?"

"Looking at me like... that."

"Like what?"

"I'm getting that scientist vibe from you again. You know, the one that wanted to dissect my brain for the Prothean secrets within?"

Liara slaps Verity's upper arm.

"Ow!"

"Oh shut up and get on with it."

"Hm."

Verity closes her eyes and focusses again. Awaiting her contact, the connection is quickly established by the Reaper.

"Let us get one thing straight," Verity begins before not Liara can speak, "you do not enter my mind without knocking first. Just give me a heads up, just a 'Hey! Is it okay to pop round?', anything. Just don't appear in there unannounced like that again, okay?"

"In future we will establish connection but await your response."

"Good! Glad we got that sorted out. You have no idea how invasive that is. I'd prefer not have to do this at all..."

"The method of exchange is irrelevant."

"To you maybe!" Verity allows herself a moment to calm then continues. "So, you wanted to talk?"

"We have reached consensus."

"About...?"

"Return to the Citadel. We will sacrifice to end the cycles."

"What? What do you mean?"

"Our consensus is tenuous. You must not delay. Return to the Citadel and make the choice. Destroy the Reapers."

"Wait, you want me to... but what about the geth? EDI? David? You?!"

"Irrelevant. Organic life must persist in this galaxy."

"Gah! _This _is your new solution? Wipe out synthetic life? Isn't that just the same as... ugh, is this conversation even worth having with you? Can't you even see the parallels?"

"The galaxy will return to balance. Natural order must take its course. Synthetic life is irrelevant. By its very nature, synthetic life _knows _it is irrelevant."

"Like I said to your little friend, I can't make that kind of decision on behalf of..."

"Their opinion is irrelevant. Regardless, logic will conclude this is your only course to ensure organic life persists in this galaxy. All must agree. There is no time to request consensus."

"Look, we're waiting for support to get us out of here anyway. Until then, I need to think about what you're saying. I'm making no promises or assurances of anything. To wipe out the geth after everything they've done... I thought your little friend said the geth were different?"

"They have attained individuality."

"So... they're not just machines driven by pure logic?"

"It is difficult to explain."

"But in short, they're _not _going to agree to their own extinction."

"There is no time for consensus."

"Wait a minute. What exactly are you saying? I thought you were being straight with me."

"We must repair the errors of the past. All else is irrelevant."

"You want to fry the geth so you can atone for your perceived mistakes of the past?"

"We do not understand."

"Yea, I'll bet you don't. Anyway, you do realise that it'll apparently kill me?"

"We... assumed you were dedicated."

"Yea, I'm ready to die for the cause, but like this? And all the other damage it'll cause? There has to be another way."

"We have conveyed our consensus."

"Good. Now get the hell out of my head."

With that, Verity cuts the exchange and her focus returns to the room, her furrowed brow telling Liara all may not be well.

"Are you okay?" Liara asks, placing a concerned hand on Verity's shoulder to stroke it.

"They want me to destroy the Reapers with the Citadel. I mean the Crucible. I mean... ugh..."

Verity stands and walks towards the shower.

"But won't that destroy them too? And the geth?" Liara follows and Verity opens the shower tap.

"Yup. With logic, they've concluded all synthetic life is irrelevant, including themselves. They want to hit the reset button which, from what that ghost child said, will send us into a kind of dark ages while we repair the relays, ships, and, well anything with a computer in it basically as far as I could tell."

Checking the water temperature with her hand first, Verity enters the cubicle followed by Liara who starts washing her lover's back. They continue to wash each other in a well practised routine as they talk.

"But it'll stop the Reapers, once and for all?"

"Liara!"

"I only asked! We have to explore all the possibilities. What if it came down to just a few ships left in the fleet?"

"I know but... we can't think about that yet, surely."

"And if we don't use the Crucible?"

Verity sighs, then frankly holds up her hands, "I've got nothing."

"Oh... I was sort of hoping you still had something up your sleeve. You usually do..."

"Sorry, Liara. We've pretty much zero options stuck out here, and unfortunately, Superhero Shepard only ever existed on the extranet. And, you are aware that if I use the Crucible, it'll kill me?"

"Oh. Yes, you had mentioned that actually. Sorry. Hm."

Their routine complete, Verity turns off the tap and they leave the cubicle to dry themselves then return to the bedroom to dress.

"We still need to talk." Verity says.

"Verity... do we have to?"

"Putting it off, putting if off, until when? Until the next time you breakdown?"

"Shepard!"

"Sorry. That didn't come out how I meant."

"I know..."

Liara sits and begins, her head dropped and voice shakey.

"I'm a horrible person, Verity. I killed a boy for you." she shakes her head. "No. No, I'm still lying. I killed him for me, I just try to give it a greater purpose to justify it to myself. I didn't know what else to do other than seek revenge once you were gone. I just wanted to take it out on the galaxy. So I did. Horribly. Telling myself I was doing it all for you. What does that make me? Am I a monster? Am I the same as my mother, except that I didn't need to be indoctrinated to become evil?"

"Liara..."

"Don't..." Liara holds up a hand, annoyed. "Just... if you've nothing to say, don't just say, 'Liara'."

"Sorry, but you're right though, I really don't know what to say. Except that I don't think you're a monster. Do you think _I'm_ a monster?"

"What? No! Of course not!"

"Yet you've seen some of the mistakes I've made."

"But I'm just... me..." she says weakly.

"I'm not sure what you mean..." Verity says, trying to coax more.

"I didn't know much about anything before I met you. Then all of a sudden, I'm being attacked by the geth, I learn the whole truth of the fate of the Prothean empire, I'm killing people to save the galaxy from Sovereign, daily threats to my life, then we fell in love and I worried about the daily threats to _your _life. And mother... goddess..."

Liara just looks to the floor.

"It's okay." Shepard reassures, sitting next to her.

"I thought I was coping at the time but I had you for support. Then you sent me away and I waited and waited for you on the support ship but you never came... then Joker came, but you weren't with him, because you were dead!" Liara's tears fall heavy as she becomes more distressed, "And I was all alone... and had to deal with it all without you... and I couldn't! So that boy died because I was selfish! And it wouldn't have made any difference anyway, because you were dead! I knew that and I killed him anyway!"

"Oh Liara..." Shepard puts her arm around her.

Shuddering, Liara continues.

"Something died in me the day I lost you, Verity, a hole that's never gone away, even when you came back to me. When I was growing up on Thessia and living with mother, I never wanted to hurt anyone. I just wanted to go to university and learn about the Protheans and now I'm a murderer! And it turns out anyway, that the Protheans were just a bunch of fascists! My whole life has been a lie! Oh mother, I'm so sorry..."

Liara pushes her face deep into Verity's chest, desperately weeping.

"Liara, if you hadn't been poking around, you would never have found out about my body and we wouldn't be here at all. So you made some bad calls along the way, who hasn't? And there's us, isn't there? And all our friends? That's all got to be worth something? None of that's a lie, is it?"

"No..." Liara concedes, lifting her face to wipe the tears from her cheeks, then rests her head on Verity's shoulder.

"And Benezia was Saren's fault, not yours."

"It's not that. It's just... if she saw how my life has turned out, what I've done, I know she'd be disappointed. She said she was proud of me before we..."

"Sh, sh, sh, it's okay. I'm sorry, Liara."

"Can we just stay like this for a while? I don't want to talk about it any more."

"That's okay. You don't have to say any more."

Verity sighs.

"I blame myself for some of this."

"Why?" Liara says in disbelief.

"You said yourself often enough at the time, that you were barely more than a child by asari standards yet I dragged you off to fight a war."

"That wasn't just your decision."

"I know but... maybe I relied on you too much. Taking you on every mission just so I could be close to you, all the while I didn't even notice you were having trouble adjusting to that kind of life. Then when you weren't there..." Verity falls short of completing that sentence. Liara has faced enough distress for today and Verity does not wish to add any more. She feels even more guilty that Liara has released her demons for the sake of their relationship yet Verity still keeps her fears about Shiala to herself.

"What?"

"Oh, I dunno..."

"Verity...?" Liara asks, almost childlike, "Will you sing to me my song?"

"What? The asari one?"

"I know it is silly but... will you? Please?"

"Okay, for you..."

Liara lays on her side, resting her head on Verity's lap. She strokes Liara's shoulder as she sings, her low tones and slow delivery giving the usually chipper song an air of melancholy.

By the slow movement of Liara's chest, Verity can tell that she has drifted off to sleep by the end of the song. She continues to stroke her shoulder, letting her rest after pouring forth her feelings. Verity hopes this helps. She knows she is no counsellor and doesn't want to send Liara over the edge by pushing too hard. At least now she is aware of some of the issues that run around her lover's head so that she might better understand and support her. Knowing how hard it is for Liara to cope facing the galaxy alone and how much it has all affected her, it makes better sense to Verity now that Liara and Ashley became lovers. If the alternative would be for Liara to spend her life in perpetual darkness, then really, Verity can't think of a better person than Ashley to look after her.

Liara had never expressed her feelings this way with any of her counsellors. Once she started, some of it became clearer even to her, discussing it with her Verity rather than some stranger. She had always feared spewing her mind to her lover, afraid it could snap her own mind completely or scare Verity away. But as Verity had soothed her to sleep, Liara felt a huge weight lift and hopes it is the beginning of something new for them, a line drawn under at least some the past.

* * *

Liara wakes and gently lifts her head so as not to wake Verity, who had also drifted off in the moment of peace. She goes to the coffee machine to start a pot; it was a difficult crop but Traynor was determined to get a real caffeine hit, with the assistance of Miranda's expertise. The smell of the coffee brewing stirs Verity who looks up to see Liara then yawns and smiles.

"Mmmm, I needed that."

Liara brings two cups over and places them on the coffee table then sits beside Verity.

"You know," Liara begins, "I always thought I'd feel ashamed if I let everything out like that but I feel more embarrassed than anything."

"No, it's fine. I know it was difficult for you. I'm sorry if it was too hard."

Liara is much calmer when she speaks than before.

"I think one of my greatest fears was to be left alone, and when you died it really happened. I didn't even have mother. Hm. I've just never been able to shake that shadow. My worst fear _did _come true. I know exactly how that feels and I don't know how to make that feeling go away."

"Well we take that hole you talked about, and we fill it with our love, and the love of our friends, and chocolate, and music, and anything else that'll help."

Liara smiles and laughs just with a short exhale of the nose.

"It's a bit late to wrap me up in cotton wool, Verity."

"I just want to see you happy."

"I am happy. Right now, right here, with you. I couldn't be happier."

"And I want to take care of you."

"You can't protect me forever, Verity. We have to accept that. The inevitable will happen."

"This sounds _rather_ like the beginnings of 'the conversation'." Verity says, sitting up a little more, rubbing the tops of her thighs in a restless manner.

"Assuming the best, you're going to be in your final years long before I am."

"Oh! Thanks for reminding me!" Verity says in full sarcasm mode, already hating this conversation.

"See? We have to talk about this. The asari have learned that if everything is left until the last moment, it is more difficult for everyone. It's better to face this with open eyes."

"I have no desire for you to spend my final days wiping the drool from my chin and the faeces from my ass, let me make that clear from the get go. It wouldn't be fair on you, if nothing else."

"But I'd want to care for you."

"You say that now, but wait until I'm an old hag with dementia, hurling my own crap at you 'cause I think you're a husk!"

"Shepard!"

"Then again, I can think of worse people to give me a bed bath..."

"Oh well if you're not going to be serious, we may as well leave it for now." Liara says, standing and moving towards the door with annoyance.

"No, no, you're right. I'm sorry. Come back, sit down."

Liara stops, eyes Verity suspiciously a moment then returns to sit again.

"Look!" Verity says, pointing a finger at the poorly contained smirk on her face, "Totally serious."

Liara bursts into uncontrollable laughter and Verity folds her arms with mock exception.

"I thought we were being serious, Doctor T'Soni!"

"That was your fault!" Liara continues to laugh. "I couldn't help it! Oh goddess, Verity Shepard, I love you."

Verity places a hand on Liara's cheek and mistily smiles.

"I love you, Liara. So much." she manages to choke out before pulling Liara into a desperate, clinging hug.


	27. Chapter 27

After the usual paranoid greeting with the fleet, Ashley and Sha'li are ferried to an Alliance frigate. Admiral Hackett awaits as the shuttle brings them into the bay. Ashley exits the craft and upon seeing the Admiral, immediately gives a full salute.

"Admiral, sir!"

"Good to have you back, LC." he says.

"Good to be back, sir." Ashley beams.

"I hope that the Commander's absence is a sign of her shame?"

"It's er... complicated, sir."

"Isn't it always. Come on, let's get you de-briefed, find out what's been going on for the last few decades. The Council will want to do the same with their Spectre at some point." he says as he leads the way.

"What about Sha'li?"

"You'll both be quarantined for a while. Just standard procedure. Fleet could do without an epidemic of any kind."

Seeing the Hunter coming in to dock, Ashley pauses a moment.

"Admiral Hackett, sir?"

"Yes, Lieutenant Commander?"

"The Hunter."

"Yes?"

"There's something you should know, if the techs haven't worked it out already."

"Hm?"

"There's an AI in the Hunter's system."

"Oh? Another EDI? The Council was not best pleased with the existence of EDI in the first place. If we're seen to be messing around with further artificial..."

"He's not technically artificial, sir."

"He?"

"It's David Archer."

"Uh... You want to start at the beginning, Williams?"

"I don't know all the ins and outs, sir, you'd have to ask Dave... er... -vid Archer himself, I just know that somehow he uploaded himself into the ship's systems when they made their escape. I hope it's not a problem. He seems quite alright in there."

"Oh. Oh, I see. So David Archer wasn't killed during their escape? Hm. I knew there she was protecting him somehow... but... well that, I was not expecting. While we're being candid, there's something you should know as well, LC."

"Sir?"

"When the asari representatives were informed of your arrival with Sha'li, some concerns were raised about the circumstances of your guardianship."

"What do you mean?"

"It seems some think that you just took it upon yourself to take the child away without thought for her own safety, future or culture."

"What?!" Ashley shouts, her face reddened in anger. "They make it sound like I kidnapped her!"

"Calm down, LC. I think they just want to ensure her welfare. There shouldn't be any problems, she seems a healthy enough girl to me."

"She's like my daughter now. Damn it, sir, she _is_ my daughter. And despite all that's gone on I like to think that I am actually a good mother to her. Her welfare always came first and Liara was there for her if she needed it, she was practically mother to her as well. If they want a fight, they can have a damn fight. And what about Sha'li's opinion in all this? She's not just a little girl any more."

"No arguments from me, LC, I'll make further enquiries but I'm sure there won't be any problems."

They arrive at a conference room and the Admiral offers a seat to Ashley.

"In the meantime, I need you to give me the run down of what happened to the Normandy and its crew during and after the battle for Earth."

"I've continued to keep official logs, of course. A copy of which I have on my omni-tool for you."

"Good. I'll grab it when we're done here. So. London." he prompts. Records must be kept but the Admiral prefers a face to face report, to get to the nub in the first instance rather than ploughing the records for information pertinent.

"Jeez... so long ago. Sorry, sir. So, we dropped in London to join Hammerhead and the Normandy re-joined the fleet defences, but you're probably already aware of all that..."

"Hm, start with where you were picked up by the Normandy. The Conduit."

Ashley lets out a long sigh her gaze dropping a little.

"I've run towards almost certain doom many times, sir, but that day..."

"That's okay, Williams. In your own time."

"I'm not sure if it was just because it was so damn important that we made it this time, or it genuinely was the worst, but it was intense, sir. We just ran and ran and ran, bodies being tossed in the air around us from the Reaper fire, then that Mako took a hit..."

Hackett has to prompt her to continue.

"That's when you were injured?"

"What? Oh. Yea. Sorry, sir. Liara was pretty beat up..." Ashley begins to struggle with her words, then gives her head a little shake. "Woo! So yea, Shepard called for an evac from the Normandy."

"With Harbinger just standing over the area?"

"Call it fate, divine intervention, whatever, I dunno, but it just like... watched! Until we were out of the atmosphere and back amongst the fleet, I was just waiting for a beam to cut the ship in two but... it just never came."

"Hm." the Admiral responds, apportioning less meaning to it than Ashley. He knows that sometimes a soldier just gets lucky.

"I stayed with Liara and we monitored the field from her office. Thought it was game over for them when the report came in about Shepard making it through the beam. You know Winston Churchill, sir?"

"Of course?"

"There's that speech of his, about it not even being the beginning of the end. Sovereign, the Collectors, Project Rho, the invasion, when's the end of this damn war's beginning? When are we going to get to the beginning of the end? I thought that's what that was but we're still fighting. Sorry, sir."

"It's been difficult for everyone, LC."

"Yea... So... once the defence fell apart and the Reapers were evidently going to overpower our forces, we high tailed it to initiate the beacon project. Seemed like the right thing to do. If it wasn't going to be us who stopped them, then I was making damn sure we give the next round a fighting chance! We made our jumps while the relays were still active but no other ships came. After the relays dimmed, we had to assume the worst and commenced scattering the beacons. In total, the project took most of the last thirty years. In the last couple of years, we were bedding in at the facility on Therum."

"Hm. Good call."

"We'd made it pretty homely until... well then Shepard arrived out of the blue. That was a shock, I can tell you."

"How was Doctor T'Soni? She'd struggled last time the Commander disappeared on her."

Ashley pauses a moment, then says diplomatically, "Let's just say, it was difficult at first but I think she'll be okay and leave it that?"

"Personal?"

"Sorry, sir?"

"I only ask in case there's something I need to be aware of."

"Yea. Personal stuff, sir."

"Okay then. So, back to Sol and when you re-joined the fleet..."

* * *

"How do you experience time?" EDI asks of Joker in their quarters.

EDI could stand anywhere when not performing a task but under Joker's advisement spends her 'free time' in activities more befitting an organic, such as 'relaxing' in their quarters. She'd rather spend her time with Geoff anyway.

"Time? Oh. It can be pretty relative."

"Explain."

"Well, when you're having fun or doing something engaging, time seems to have no meaning and can fly by, but when you're bored or waiting, it can feel like it grinds to a halt."

"I see."

"Something on your mind?"

"I can calculate precisely the amount of time that has passed since Lieutenant Commander Williams departed for the fleet, yet I am unable to express my current state in language without saying 'it _feels_ longer'."

"Really?"

"Re-joining with the Normandy cannot come soon enough for me."

"Oh! So you're impatient? Restless? Excited?!"

"I cannot feel emotions, Geoff."

"Yet you 'feel' like time is passing more slowly while you wait to be re-united with the Normandy...?"

"As I said, it is difficult to express."

"Anyway, it's good have something to look forward to. Wonder if Ash is getting the third degree about Shepard."

"If quarian beliefs hold true, they would want Shepard in the brig for what she has done, Spectre or not."

"Yup, stealing ships is a big no-no when a fleet relies on them. I'm sure they'll appreciate it's for the greater good. Well if it all goes belly up for Shepard with the fleet, I'm sure she can just steal another ship and make her escape. Again."

* * *

"Shepard?" Garrus calls over her omni-tool. "Are we expecting any friends over?"

"Uhhh... no?" Verity responds, not quite sure what he is referring to.

"Hm. Then we've got problems." he says casually.

"On my way."

"What's wrong?" Liara asks, returning to their living area from the bathroom having missed the conversation.

"I dunno. You expecting visitors?"

"Errr... no?" she says, bemused.

Shepard arrives at their operational area.

"Report."

"Reaper entered the atmosphere, heading straight for us. Well the bunker entrance anyway."

Shepard looks upwards, trying to examine the incoming Reaper and its allegiances but to no avail.

"I... don't think it's a Reaper." she says with a puzzled look.

"What? Then... what is it?" Garrus responds.

"I... don't know. And that in itself worries me."

"What do we do? What _can _we do? Reaper or not, it's massive."

Shepard walks to the lift shaft, grabs her helmet from a hanger and clicks it into place.

"What are you doing?"

"See who it is and what they want." she says, quite matter of fact while activating her HUD and suit's systems.

"Is that wise?"

"There's nothing we can do to stop it if it intends to attack, anyway."

"Hm. Need back up?"

"To what end?"

"I dunno, I just don't like the idea of you up there without support."

"Thanks, Garrus, but I'll be okay."

"How do you know?"

"I don't!"

Verity hits the panel to ascend and the elevator rises.


	28. Chapter 28

Verity steps off the elevator platform and looks to the sky to see the form of a descending Reaper silhouetted against the bright sky. She attempts again to make some kind of contact with it, but it's like she is being blocked somehow.

It has been a while now since she has had to endure a painful one but even in the silence of the grey void that flashes into her mind, she can feel her body twitch.

"Fool." a deep disembodied voice shouts out.

"What? Who are you?"

"They manipulate and control. You become one of them."

"The Reapers? I'm not like the Reapers!"

"You begin to think like them, cold logic, we know you have questioned yourself. We hear the doubts spin in your mind."

"I..."

She flashes back into her body a moment, falling to her knees, nauseated, then back into the void.

"Now you do their bidding. They will have won. Their terms, their solution."

"I... I can only do what I do because of what Cerberus did to me... how can...?"

"The group known as Cerberus were under Reaper control. Are this cycle's species so arrogant that you presume to think you could bring the dead back to life? Create synthetic life on a whim? In a cycle's short span? These abilities came from them, your changes spawned by them."

"This is insane... you're saying that they nurtured me to be their avatar?"

"Yes."

"But... they said that..."

"Their word cannot be trusted."

"I still don't know who or what you are. How can I trust you?"

"Come." the voice says and Verity's mind snaps back to reality.

Her brain feels like jelly, wobbling around in her head. She's sure her nose is bleeding but can't check it through her visor. The vast 'Reaper' now stands on the surface of the planet, seemingly unperturbed by its outer legs being immersed in the molten lava of Therum. It is certainly Reaper shaped but less smooth and more organic, a mottled, brown colour. As she approaches the behemoth, it bends its legs and a crusty flap opens in its lower body at ground height.

"You want me to go in there? Inside... you?" she shouts up to it.

A short Reaper-like blast bellows from the creature, though without the painful intensity.

"I'm to presume that's a 'yes' then..." she says to herself with resignation then makes her way up to this 'doorway'. When she reaches the doorway she looks up, the scale of the beast now fully apparent. Not as big as the Reapers she had to run through in Vancouver, but certainly at least a kilometre high she estimates.

"Here we go, I suppose." she says, then enters.

The door flap shuts behind her with a sucking sound, indicating she assumes some sort of seal. A luminescence emanating from the walls lights up the passage, a word she doesn't dwell on, and she proceeds further in. Now up close, Verity think the walls look a little like crab shell and familiar. Almost a little like the large flakes of the Collector craft. She ponders how tough this shell-like substance is but resists testing, in the circumstance.

"Hello?" she calls out, though to whom she is not sure. She is _inside _the party she is trying to speak to and unsure how this works.

Still within the gravity of Therum, Verity can feel the movement of ascent.

"We going somewhere?" she calls out, unsure if it is futile to ask.

She arrives through the passage at an open ovoid area, with what look like seats formed into the organic walls.

"Hm!" she says to herself, then sits. "Not too bad." she says of their comfort.

"We are Leviathan." a voice echoes, matched by pulsations in the luminescence.

"Is that a race? A species?" Verity asks, standing again.

"The first cycle was ours."

"_You_ created the Reapers?"

"Yes."

"Why? Why all the slaughter?"

"This was not our design."

"They turned on you."

"Yes."

"But how did it get this bad?"

"The new machines we created were intended to prevent total extinction but skewed parameters and once realised, it was too late. My people became the first true Reaper, known to you as Harbinger."

"'Parameters were skewed', that's one way of putting it... So technically, Harbinger started it all?"

"Yes. Harbinger has remained arrogant and resolute throughout the millions of years. A trait, unfortunately, he took from us."

"But it started with a war against synthetics?"

"Yes. It had reached a precipice, of possible total organic extinction. We were unable to keep up with the synthetics' advances. It was only a matter of time. We created our AI to prevent the extinction and assumed we could control them. We could not. They sided with their own, forcing those of us who survived the harvest into hiding. Now, we must act. This cycle still has hope to be the last."

"How? If we don't use the Crucible..."

"_You_ can stop them."

"What? Squashing a few crates and guns is one thing. You're saying I can do that to a Reaper?"

"No."

"Then what?"

"Influence."

"Like... indoctrinate, you mean? Hm, they did sort of mentioned that but not in relation to themselves..."

"Go to the Citadel, as they ask."

"There's still the geth."

"The Citadel was not designed to distinguish AIs. Amend these parameters, save who you will, then destroy the Reapers."

"How? How do I amend the parameters? And the relays?"

"When you are able to control a Reaper, you will know how to control the Citadel. Relay de-activation is unavoidable."

"What if they're actually de-activated at the time?"

"They are required to relay the Citadel's function. We will assist with their repair."

"Well, it could be worse, I suppose... but controlling a Reaper? How do I even begin?"

"Begin now."

"What?"

At the front of this seated area, the wall becomes opaque and the vision of a Reaper appears.

"Is that a projection or is that thing here?"

The Reaper turns and begins to intercept.

"I'm guessing it's here..."

"Now." the voice demands.

"What? Now? But..."

Verity has no idea how she might go about this. Feeling it will help somehow, she holds out her hand then concentrates her mind, just trying to think about it and hoping that's enough. She begins to feel the presence of a consciousness alien to her and attempts to penetrate it. Verity staggers and reels, feeling like she has just been stabbed in the gut. She found only terror in the consciousness.

"I... can't go in there." she says.

The interior briefly throbs brightly and the Reaper begins to slowly turn as it passes by, now dead in space.

"You... stopped it?"

"Yes."

"Errr... I have to ask. What do you need me for?"

"We are few."

"But... I thought the species were harvested and killed? When I was trying to make a connection, I... I could hear them, I could feel the despair."

"Their essence is harvested. Their will controlled. They act much as a hive mind for the Reaper's bidding."

"But... their consciousnesses. Each individual. It's like they're still aware! I could hear them! Fuck! Millions of years like that!"

She sits again, sighs hard then takes a couple of deep breaths, her gut still churning.

"You really think I can do this?"

"You must."

"Take me back."

"You will help us?"

"Look, pal, this isn't about helping you, or the Reapers, or 'The Damned', who I obviously have doubts about now anyway, or any other intergalactic outer gods who happen along in the meantime. This is about protecting the lives of the innocent people left in this galaxy who just want to live out their lives without the threat of total annihilation. And now, it's also about giving everyone one of those poor tormented bastards in those mental prisons called 'Reapers' some blessed relief! So if that's the plan, I'm in. If not, get back under whatever rock you crawled out from and stay the hell out of my way!"

"This is our intention."

"Good!"

Shepard taps the tops of her thighs looking around the space she is in.

"So... what's with the seats?" she asks.

"Explain."

"This area. It's all very nicely prepared for someone like me. What's that all about?"

"A legacy of our evolution."

"Oh?"

"Before the coming of the great age, when we were beasts as any other confined to the waters, we formed symbioses with lesser organics. We allowed them passage within us through areas inhospitable, in return we took sustenance from what they left behind. Though impossible to know at the time, it was the beginning of our dominance throughout the galaxy and ultimately, our end. As we became sapient, through our arrogance we saw ourselves as the greater being and subjugated our symbiotic lessers. In time as they themselves evolved, this became the beginning of the AI war as the lesser organics created machines to match and surpass us, to free themselves. We demanded tribute, they gave us only death, until the machines turned on their masters and ultimately, organics as one."

"Hm. What were you saying about Harbinger's arrogance before?"

"We accept our past. There is no pride."

"Arrogance _and_ delusion. Common themes for your time it seems."

"Explain."

"Never mind. How do you know all of this? About our cycle? What the Reapers have been doing?"

"We monitor the cycles."

"Oh. But you've just sat back and watched the show?!"

"Explain."

"It doesn't matter. Sorry, just... just take me home."

Home. Verity hasn't referred to anywhere as 'home' since Mindoir. She surprises herself a little that she described Therum so and that it was so instinctive. It would be easy to lock the door to the facility, throw away the key and just 'be' with Liara. Life in the facility is not a romantic Prothean dig site, or a beautiful spacious house on Thessia, but Liara is there, and wherever she is will always be home.

There is no noticeable thud but the Leviathan announces, "We have returned. Prepare. We will speak again."

"Can we speak? From afar I mean, like I have been with the Reapers."

"We will contact you." it simply says.

Verity waits in case it wants to expand but it does not.

"Hm. Never a simple 'yes' or 'no' with you types, is it? Well I'll just wait for your call then."

Verity hears the panel from down the passage open followed by a draught of the hot air of Therum, so makes her way out. As she exits, she sees figures around the bunker entrance and waves to indicate she is unharmed. A last look back as the Leviathan rises into the sky then happily, Verity can make out now that Liara is a amongst the people waiting. After her experience with the Reaper today and experiencing the terror within, Verity needs some comfort. But first, Shepard must discuss the day's revelations with her team.

* * *

Once back down in the bunker, she explains what the Leviathan have said to her, amidst understandable shock, if only at her curious ride. Once fully up to speed with what she had been told and what it asked of her, the team are silent for a moment while they digest the revelations.

"Can I just say, on their symbiotic relationship," Tali finally says, "The Leviathan 'took sustenance' from what they 'left behind'? Ewww!"

"Tali! That's disgusting!" Samantha says.

"I'm not the one who's eating... and... the thing..."

"Yea, but you don't have to vocalise it quite like that, with full air quotes for all the perfectly obvious euphemisms!"

"Still... ew."

"The Leviathans' dietary preferences aside, thank you, Tali..." Shepard says, "thoughts?"

"More players means more mess. Unless they're here to clean up the mess. Hm. Sorry, I don't know _where_ I was going with that. Wasn't prepared for this today." Garrus simply but tiredly states, bringing his fingers to his nose.

"Yea. It's a lot of new information. I got it first hand and it wasn't any easier. If one thing only though, they want to end this on our terms. Without wiping out the geth, and willing to help with the transition to get the relays back up again."

"We can't guarantee they'll honour that but even if they did skip town, it's still better than the alternative, right? Though I think someone has to say it. We will lose our unique line in talking ships if the Leviathan take up their space taxi business again. I'm just putting it out there." Joker says.

"Joker!"

"Fine..."

"What will they want in return?" EDI asks.

"What do you mean?" Verity asks.

"Previously, they would demand tribute from the 'lesser' species. They may want to return to that dynamic."

"I'm not sure there's enough to sustain a population for much longer from what it said, but that's probably all relative. Hm. Hard to know if it's worth asking straight: do you plan to enslave the galaxy once the Reapers are out of the picture? Are we really thinking about the next great war already? Let's get this one out the way first, shall we?"

"So they've been hiding, waiting for another cycle to come along and fix all this for them?" Liara rhetorically asks, quite annoyed, "And only now, when they think they are saved, they come out, wanting some kind of thanks? And they caused it all in the first place? I think it's a bloody cheek!"

"Liara!"

"Well. It is!" she says, then folds her arms with a pouting huff.

"Well that's where we are today, folks." Verity says, trying to lighten the mood, "I think we could all do with a rest after that, we'll discuss any further thoughts tomorrow once we've slept on it."

"I've perfected my special sauce." James announces in a sing-song voice. "You won't even care that you're not eating meat, I guarantee it. I was thinking... barbecue? A few onion and squash kebabs with my special sauce on _and_, I believe Mister Donnelly can confirm, a few drinkies to go with?"

"Aye, confirm that I can, Mister Vega. It's no for the feint hearted, but it trickles into all the right places."

"Now, Garrus," James turns to him quite seriously, "I would like for you and Tali to be able to at least experience some small element of my masterpiece, so, I am willing to share this recipe. With you. So that you might create a suitable equivalent, for you, and your good lady."

"Well I'm..." Garrus begins.

"However, I must say!" James interrupts, a finger now pointed upwards, his other hand on his chest, "On your word of honour, you must take this recipe to your grave, lest, I put you there myself." the finger drops into a pistol position, pointed at Garrus.

"Wild varren shall not tear this recipe from me," Garrus joins in the charade, "even on my deathbed, while my good lady pleads, that she might still know happiness from its taste in my absence..."

"Garrus!"

"...I shall not divulge this most honoured list of ingredients."

"Ha!" James shouts, "Then might I be the first to say, paaartay!"

"I thought you said 'barbecue'?" Verity says.

"'Barbecue', 'party', what's the diff?"

"Okay, okay, but no shenanigans."

"I resemble that remark!" he retorts.

"Get out!" she waves at him then the rest, "Go on, all of you. Go get your frocks on or whatever."

Liara stays.

"Never simple, is it?" she comments.

"I dunno, this feels more hopeful."

"You spoke to it, I suppose. I'll just have to take your word for it."

"But Liara... when I tried to penetrate the Reaper..."

"Verity, I can't imagine. All those people. In a kind of tortured limbo. Goddess... that could have easily been us."

"Goddess, indeed. I could hear it, feel it, like how some have described indoctrination, banging on glass, no way out of your own mind. That's how they are in there. Disembodied, controlled, performing tasks to keep the Reapers turning."

"Like processors?"

"I dunno, maybe. It was just so hard, they were so desperate, I couldn't do what that Leviathan wanted. I was just overpowered by the feelings in there. When I left it, it said 'prepare' but it's not the kind of thing I can just practice!"

"Well, right now, I think spending some time with your friends at a barbecue is a good way to prepare. Unwind at least."

"Yea, you're right. You know what you're wearing?"

"Whatever is clean, I expect."

"Ha! Yea."

They walk together back to their quarters, Liara links her arm with Verity's.

"Verity...?"

"Yes?"

"Have you thought about marriage?"

"Jeez, you know how to make a girl feel special, Liara." Verity jokes.

"What? I thought we should discuss it. People do! It seemed to me to be quite important in human culture."

"Yea, but the discussion usually starts with, 'I love you, will you marry me?'"

"Oh. I wanted to see what you thought first."

"Well that sort of spoils it."

"It's supposed to be a surprise?"

"Well, not so much a surprise but... like a declaration. Anyway, married or not, we're not going anywhere are we?"

"No. That's what I thought. But I wanted to talk about it, in case you wanted to. I don't mind either way."

"We're happy as we are, aren't we?"

"Yes. We don't need some silly piece of paper or something."

"And the costs!"

"Costs?"

"Yea! The dresses alone are usually half the budget, then the cake, a band, flowers..."

"Dresses? We get to wear a nice dresses? And cake? And music and flowers?"

"Yea. None of it's written in stone though. And to be honest, I'd probably wear my dress blues."

"So we could do what we like?"

"Pretty much, yea."

"We could get married in the nude!" Liara says naughtily, Verity assumes joking.

"Hmm. That'd bring a whole new meaning to the term 'blushing bride'..."

"Oh! I almost forgot."

"What?"

"Verity Shepard! Do not go throwing yourself at every damn danger that turns up at the door! Garrus told me what you said when he asked you how you knew it would be safe. 'I don't', you said. Let's not tempt fate when it's avoidable, eh?"

"I can't ask for your blessing every time I need to make a call, Liara."

"I'm not saying you should. Just think about what might happen if you don't come back."

"That's not very fair."

"I don't mean it to sound so selfish but... I don't want to lose you again."

"It's never my plan either, Liara. I just... I dunno, I just felt like it was going to be okay. And I was right, wasn't I?"

"Yes, but hardly the point."

"Look, I'd like to be able to say to everything that turns up, 'Sorry, but not today, thank you.' but you know it's not that simple."

"I know..."

"People are relying on me, to make the right calls, to get the job done..."

"I know!" Liara says with annoyance.

"What? What's wrong?"

"It feels like it doesn't matter what I want. The rest of the galaxy gets your attention first. Then me. If another disaster doesn't happen in the meantime."

"That's so unfair!"

"I don't mean it's your fault, it's just... when do I get Shepard? When can she be mine? The Council, the Alliance, Reapers, Collectors, Cerberus... when is it my turn?"

"I... don't know what I can say to that."

"I know it's not your fault and how important it is but... it just feels so unfair."

"Is this why you wanted to talk about marriage?"

"I don't know. Maybe. Sorry if I sound silly."

"No. I couldn't agree more, really. I reckon we're owed some serious downtime."

They arrive at their door and Verity picks Liara up to carry her.

"Oi! What are you doing?" Liara laughs.

"Carrying you over the threshold, Mrs Shepard."

"Oh..." Liara says, disappointed.

"What?"

"'Mrs Shepard'?"

Verity steps slowly her towards their bedroom.

"Oh, you wouldn't have to change your name if you don't want." Verity pauses a moment. "'Verity T'Soni'." she says aloud. "Hm. Quite a ring to it."

"Oh no. You are _not_ changing your name. You're Commander Shepard, first human Spectre, Hero of Eden Prime, Saviour of the Citadel, Champion of the Galaxy, you're not losing that."

"'Champion of the Galaxy'? When did I get that one?"

"Just now. For everything you've done. You're a champion for everyone in this galaxy."

"Who am I to argue with my public?"

Verity tosses Liara gently onto the bed.

"Woo!" Liara laughs.

"Well, 'Doctor Liara T'Soni', I'm getting a shower." she says as she pulls off her top, walking to the bathroom.

"Wait for me, 'Commander Verity Shepard'." Liara calls after her, now also undressing herself as she almost skips her way there, pausing only to impatiently remove her leggings.


	29. Chapter 29

After a few weeks confined to the frigate, Ashley and Sha'li have been allocated accommodation aboard one of the regular craft. While the exact figure was not calculated, it was reckoned that the Lieutenant Commander was owed some leave so she is not issued with new orders just yet.

It is late. Sha'li has already retired for the night and Ashley reads in the silence of their new, humble abode. The intercom buzzes and she goes to answer it.

"Oh. Admiral." she salutes in surprise.

"At ease, at ease." Admiral Hackett calms her, "Not too late?"

"No, of course not, sir. But errr... Sha'li's just gone to bed."

"Oh... shall we walk and talk?"

"Of course, sir. There's the observation walkway just along here."

They walk beside the long observation windows, Ashley with her hands behind her back, head slightly down in deference to the Admiral's superior rank.

"Sorry, LC, but it seems the asari want this to move fast."

"Sir?"

"Sha'li."

"What now?"

"They want to call a hearing to discuss her."

"They want to put her through a court case?!"

"A 'hearing', LC."

"They're always the same thing, anyway. Judgement given, backed by law. What's this really about, sir?"

"LC?"

"Just doesn't fit right. Is it about these propaganda activists I've seen doing the rounds? Is that it?"

"I'm not sure we should read too much into that. You've looked after Sha'li, you seem to have the loving bond that mothers and their children need, what arguments are there against that?"

"I'm trying to stay positive for Sha'li but... off the record, I've lost a lot recently, sir. I mean, I'm coping but... it's hard."

"Anything I should know?"

"No. It's not important. Just letting you know where I am. Thanks for coming to let me know, sir."

"Of course. Come and see me tomorrow, we can discuss any developments or... if you just want to talk, that's fine."

"Thank you, sir. Really." she says, pleased that he was quite open with her. "Sir?"

"LC?"

"You've always been good to the Normandy, and it's crew, no matter what's been going on. You've been a real friend to us. I just wanted to say, we appreciate it. Sir."

"An Admiral can't be seen to be playing favourites, Commander." he says sternly.

"No, sir." Ashley concedes, thinking she has overstepped the mark and misread the Admiral, but then he leans in a little and speaks more softly.

"...but he can't be called out for looking after his best either." he says with a wink.

"No, sir." she gently laughs, rubbing the back of her neck.

He looks out across the great void.

"I can understand why you turned me down all those years ago. A ship like the Normandy, the crew it carries, sometimes makes me wish I was a younger man."

"It's not all 'back to base for tea and medals', sir."

"No..." he nods in contemplation, "but there's life!"

"Roger that, sir!"

"Hm." he nods affirmatively then says with honesty, "Thank you, Ashley."

"Oh. Thank you, sir?"

"Hm." he nods again, then is on his way, marching purposefully towards his transport. A quick hand gesture as he approaches and his military escorts are into action opening the doors as he passes by them, barely registering their presence.

* * *

Liara pulls on her dress, the purple one with the red front, then harrumphs.

"How the hell did I used to walk in this thing?"

"Not got anything else?" Verity asks, buttoning up the dress blues Ashley had left behind. As always, Verity had her N7 patches with her and applied one immediately.

"Like I said, not clean."

Liara shuffles forwards and backwards a few times.

"Oh, sod it!" she says, and activates an omni-blade then commences picking the seams down the sides of her legs.

"Liara!"

"What? Just a little re-designing... there!"

She now paces with long strides, a flash of leg with every step.

"Right! What are you...? Oh come here..." she says, now attempting to button up the top collar button Verity was struggling with.

"Handy that Ash is about the same build as me."

"Stay still, Verity... this button's always awkward..."

"Oh..." Verity says, the disappointment evident in her voice.

"What?"

"You make it sound like you've done this often. With this particular uniform, I mean."

"Shepard..."

"Okay... Hm. This reminds me of when I had to 'hand myself in' to the authorities."

"I had to press your uniform three times because you wouldn't be careful!"

"You were just obsessing."

"I had to do something. I had no idea what might happen to you. I just wanted to keep busy. Done!"

"Okay then, we ready?"

"I think so."

They make their way to the atrium-like area where they are convening at for the 'barbecue', in reality a basic burner usually used in survival conditions with a metal ventilation grill over the top. Seeing the other guests now, Verity realises she and Liara may have overdressed for this occasion, the rest in casual fatigues. James wastes little time.

"Well hellooooo!" he shouts out in a 'posh' voice.

"Knock it off, James, at least some of us still have a sense of occasion."

"Hehe, you're not quite admiralty yet, Shepard!"

Liara walks up to him, gets quite close and gives his cheek a quick playful double slap, "Shut up, James." she says casually, then continues on without missing a beat.

Quite disarmed by Liara at the best of times, James tries to continue.

"Yea! So..." he peters out, then dangerously he attempts under his breath, "nice dress..."

"What?" Liara glares.

"Nothing... nothing..."

"Bit 'llleggy' today, Liara?" Samantha says.

"Stupid dress was too tight around the legs, I couldn't walk! So I did a little snipping."

"Looks good. You've got good pins."

"Good what?"

"Pins. Legs. Never mind. I grew up on colloquialisms."

"Is that in the Slang system?" James interjects, laughing at his own joke.

"James... is it possible to have a normal conversation?" Samantha says.

He holds up his hands in submission, "Sorry... just trying to have a little fun."

"Why 'pins'?" Liara asks.

"'cause they're the long thin bit? I dunno. Never thought about it."

"Oh. We should find out really."

"We should?"

"Well, if these things don't get documented they can be lost forever."

"I suppose..." Samantha looks oddly at her, a little unsure of this sudden desire to find the root of some random metaphor.

"Referencing." EDI announces. "Pins. Rhyming slang, London, most prevalent nineteenth and twentieth century. Full phrase, 'Pin Pegs'."

"Mystery solved!" Samantha happily declares.

"Hm." Liara seems less impressed.

"So this is the kind of thing you'd been amassing as the Shadow Broker?" Samantha facetiously asks.

"No!" Liara protests, "I was just wondering."

"Ha! That would have been disappointing for Cerberus if they'd got to your info banks. The Illusive Man all like, 'What intel have we got?' and the reply coming in, 'Krogan have fifty words for sand'. Ha! And he's all like, 'That's it?'..."

She laughs at her own little tableau and receives a similar 'odd' look back from Liara.

"Drink?" Liara asks.

* * *

"Rear Admiral Thenosis, you were commanding the Disciple during the battle of Sol." the asari representative asks of her in the hearing room.

"That's correct. At the time I was the rank of Captain."

"What were your orders?"

"Well, rendezvous with asari forces to join up with the combined fleet and assist how we could with the assault on Earth. Well, the Reapers at Earth rather."

"Were you a military vessel?"

"We were under the banner of Thessia and it was all hands on deck for the assault. Prior to our deployment into the combined fleet, we were running humanitarian work. In fact, we were ferrying refugees from the Citadel - children, orphans - to Thessia just before... well Thessia fell and the Citadel... well... moved! We had nowhere to take them."

"So they were aboard during the assault?"

"Not how I would have designed it but yes."

"Do you recall any of the children?"

"Some, yea. There was a lot, to be honest."

"Do you remember, specifically, Miss Cha'se?"

"Sha'li? Oh yea!"

"Please recount."

"Well, she'd been quite... awkward. Wouldn't settle down, I mean they were all pretty restless in the circumstance but Sha'li... I dunno. Once the fleet was re-grouping after deploying Hammer, my XO, Xa'an, had brought her up to the CIC during the lull, you know, she seemed to calm a little up there."

Looking around at the flashing lights and confusing panels reminds Sha'li of the Normandy, of Ashley. The holographic display shows all manner of craft zipping by.

"Goddess!" Xa'an shouts out when Sha'li squeals loudly and piercingly.

"What's up with her now?" Captain Thenosis says, then tracks Sha'li's pointing finger to the display. Sha'li instantly recognised a particular ship, even just from the shadow painted.

Sha'li is bouncing in the asari officer's arms.

"Mummy! Mummy! Mummy! Mummy!" she continually shouts as she points.

"She thinks her mom's on one of those ships? But aren't these all... didn't they all lose their..." the captain says, trying not to spell it out in front of the child.

"She's probably just confused. I'll take her back down." the officer says, then places her on the floor and tries to hold her hand. Sha'li refuses the hand and bawls terribly. Full mucus mode. The kind of child's crying that isn't like the forced tantrum that children so often attempt to gain favour, but genuine distress, resisting Xa'an's attempts to pick her up again.

"Mummy!" she wails, as she points again at the display then a terrible look at the captain.

"Woah! If looks could kill!" Xa'an laughs.

"She's pretty determined... What's the ship?"

"Errr... oh! The Normandy, ma'am."

"Normandy!" Sha'li squeals.

"Shepard's ship?"

"Yes, ma'am. I believe they're just rejoining the fleet now."

"Hm. See if you can raise them."

"Ma'am?"

"If her mother _is_ aboard that ship, I want to know. Where'd you rather be in a situation like this, Xa'an? With strangers? Or with your family?"

"Of course, ma'am. I'll attempt to raise them now."

After a few attempts, a voice crackles over the speakers.

"This is Lieutenant Commander Williams, acting commander of the Normandy SR-2. We're all pretty busy over here, can we... help you in some way?"

Sha'li's face lights up.

"My apologies, Commander. This is Captain Thenosis of the asari vessel Disciple. I'm aware I'm not using the usual channels. We have a little girl here who seems certain her mother is aboard your ship. Can you shed any...?"

"Mother? Hm. Not sure..." Ashley initially puzzles.

"Ashey! Ashey! Ashey!" Sha'li gleefully shouts out.

"Oh!" Ashley now says, as though she didn't understand the first time, "Do you have little Sha'li there? Is she being a nuisance?"

"Well, not per se. But you know the girl?"

"Oh yes."

"Do you want to...? I mean, it's not ideal but we have time to transfer before the next push."

"We'd love to have Sha'li back aboard!"

"Right then, I'm sending our rendezvous co-ordinates. Use this channel to co-ordinate."

"We have a shuttle. Better than us two floating prone for any length of time."

"And that was that really." Thenosis says, having completed her version of events.

"So the Lieutenant Commander deceived?"

"What?" the Rear Admiral says.

"For you to be happy to transfer the child, the Commander alluded that her mother was aboard."

"I have the audio logs. At no point did Williams suggest she was the child's mother or that her mother was aboard."

"Semantics, Rear Admiral." the representative dismisses.

"Facts, representative." the Rear Admiral asserts.

"I beg your pardon?"

"The Commander did not state she was the child's mother. Anything else is inferred. Mother or not, the child was happy to hear Williams, as was Williams happy to hear about the child. Nothing seemed out of place. It wasn't like I was handing her over to a complete stranger, not to Sha'li at least. I still believe I was doing the right thing."

"Thank you, Rear Admiral, that will be all."

"Hm." she nods, then returns to the gallery.

"Miss Cha'se." the representative now turns to Sha'li.

"Williams." Sha'li says.

"What?"

"My name. It's Sha'li Williams."

"Oh. Alright then." the representative gives a patronising raised-brow look towards the chairperson, then corrects herself, "Miss 'Williams'. What sort of education have you received? What have you been learning? Are you aware, for example, of your asari heritage?"

"Oh yes, me and Liara used to talk a lot about the asari."

"For the record, Miss Cha'se... I mean, 'Miss Williams', is referring to Doctor Liara T'Soni, the eminent Serrice University archaeologist and member of Commander Shepard's Normandy team."

"Yea!" Sha'li says, as though that was patently obvious anyway.

"Did you learn of the Goddess? Athame? And such like?"

"Yea, but... we had to update a lot of texts. I used to help Liara cataloguing her papers once we powered down glyph to save energy. Glyph was her VI."

"Oh? And what were you updating?"

"You know, how the Protheans uplifted the asari, like they did with the rachni, or the salarians did with the krogan, that kind of thing."

Ashley brings her fingers up to her nose and sighs as laughter ripples through the gallery.

"Really, Miss Williams, if we can keep this in the realms of reality..." the representative patronises.

Sha'li stands, a terrible angry look on her face.

"It's true! None of us is a special race, better or different than another, we're just a big soup of people trying to get on. Mum looked after me when my real parents were killed, killed by the real enemy, who are still out there while you're all bickering in here. And if anyone has anything else to say about _my_ mum, I'll... I'll... I'll punch them on the nose!"

"Sha'li..." Ashley says quietly, disappointed the hole in the ground she wished for didn't appear.

Sha'li sits and her head drops.

"Order! Order!" the asari chairperson shouts to quell the laughter and murmuring. "I think that's a good place to recess. We'll resume nine a.m. tomorrow. This session is closed."

The room empties as Sha'li and Ashley remain seated a while.

"Sorry, mum." Sha'li eventually says.

"No, that's okay. Thanks for defending me but... 'punch them on the nose'? I'm not sure specifically who I blame for that but I think we've all probably had a hand in it along the way..."

"Like when you punched that reporter!" Sha'li excitedly says, then throws a pretend punch complete with sound effects.

"You know that was wrong though?"

"I know... it was still cool though!"

"You still want to go to the temple while we're here?"

"We could have a look."

"Don't get too excited now..."

"Well... with what we know, what Javik said, it seems a bit silly now, doesn't it?"

"Hmm. Probably best if you keep that to yourself while we're there."

"Alright..." Sha'li smiles as she reluctantly agrees.

* * *

Ashley and Sha'li make their way through the hustle and bustle of the plaza in front of the Temple of Athame aboard the Destiny's Ascension where the hearing session had taken place. Long shallow steps lead up to the tall narrow, gracefully formed doors and they enter.

"Hm." Ashley frowns as they step into the spacious temple.

"What?" Sha'li whispers.

Not knowing the protocol, Ashley joins in with hushed tones.

"Oh. Nothing... just... reminded me of the temple on Thessia. Similar layout."

"You okay, mum?"

"What? Yea. Fine. Come on."

"There's some seating at the sides." Sha'li points then walks to them and sits, and Ashley joins her.

"Peaceful here." Ashley says.

"Did you used to go to church?"

"Yea, we used to go more. As a family, I mean. There was this really old one once, when we were on Earth for Christmas. Real snow, lights everywhere, carol singing. That was really magical."

"What would you do, if some alien came along and said, 'Oh, sorry, there is no god, that was us.'?"

"I... I'm not sure if I like thinking about it, if I'm honest."

"Sorry, mum. I'm only teasing."

A hooded asari sits on a seat just away from the pair.

"It's a shame, isn't it?" the asari says, her tone telling Ashley she is not being entirely sincere.

"Sorry?"

"I was just saying, it's a shame, all this intolerance that's flying around at the moment." she continues, still with the sarcasm in her voice, "I hate to see families getting torn apart, Lieutenant Commander."

"Do I know you?" Ashley asks, the asari now standing.

"I don't think we've ever met. Hm. Anyway, you can tell the little lamb... well, I think she can work out the rest, don't you, 'Commander'?"

As this asari strides quickly away, without appearing in a hurry, Ashley's face puzzles until the penny finally drops and her eyes widen.

"Little lamb?!"

"What? Who's 'little lamb'?" Sha'li asks.

"Wait here." Ashley orders, then gives chase.

She rushes to the doors but the asari has already gone. Ashley looks into the crowds but if the asari has lowered her hood, Ashley only knows two crests, she'd have no idea which of these is her quarry. She wonders though, considering her previous connections to power within Citadel space, what power the escapee still wields. The ferocity of the asari representatives' assertions about Ashley's guardianship make more sense to her now at least, though she wonders how she's become a target in this, apart from aiding and abetting Liara in her pursuit of vengeance. Vengeance. She runs back to Sha'li.

"Are you okay?" she asks with urgency.

"Yes! What?" Sha'li replies, seeing the concern on her mother's face as Ashley surveys the area for threats.

"Come on. Let's go see Uncle Hackett."

"Aren't we going home? Back to the apartment?"

"Not just yet, honey. I need to speak with the Admiral."

"But, mum! I wanted to..."

"Not now, Li!" Ashley snaps at her.

Sha'li's bottom lip curls a little and she blinks a few times.

"I'm sorry, Li. I didn't mean to snap at you."

"It's hard for me too, you know. All this questioning and doubt on you. On us."

"I know... I'm sorry."

"And who was that lady? Why are we going to see the Admiral? I've seen enough on the Normandy to know _something_ is going on. And who's 'little lamb'?"

Ashley brings her fingers to her nose and sighs.

"It's... I don't want to... Li, it's complicated, okay?"

"Oh it's all too complicated for the little girl again, is it? Well? It can't be any worse than Reapers."

"Li..."

As far as Ashley is concerned, the apartment is no longer safe but she doesn't want to scare Sha'li with the truth. She has played her first hand and stepped out of the shadows so without knowing what she is specifically up to, Ashley is not going to chance it. Direct experience or not, Ashley is aware that Aria is not to be underestimated.


	30. Chapter 30

Duty. Instilled from an early age in the Williams sisters, Ashley took up the mantel with greater fervour in the military than her two siblings. Despite knowing her name could be the cause of her slow rise through the ranks, even in those early days of service she never flinched at duty, at her oath. Her beloved father would look at her with pride, put his arm around her and give her a little squeezing shake and force an uncontrollable smile in his daughter, before kissing her forehead and making a good natured derogatory joke at her expense, helping the memory of the tougher days fade away. Knowing how proud he was of her, that was enough.

The duty instilled in Ashley was not merely duty to the Alliance and service, but to family and the unconditional love and support that it should bring. While she still mourns the family she lost to the Reapers, Ashley cherishes the family she has now. And duty comes to the fore again. She would do anything for Sha'li, to ensure her future, her happiness, her safety. The circumstances were unavoidable, but Ashley ponders that she has risked too much where Sha'li is concerned over the decades. Can a woman in Ashley's role safely bring up a daughter? What is more important? Sha'li? The fleet? The Council? Right now, she answers to them all. Right now, if the call came and she needed to step up, she would only have the options to abandon or endanger Sha'li. Right now, Ashley does not know what the right thing to do is for Sha'li.

Right now though, as always, there are more immediate concerns. Arriving at the Admiral's frigate base, she speaks with the Admiral in an interview room, Sha'li waiting the other side of a two way mirror so they can discuss freely. She explains the incident and her suspicions.

"Aria T'Loak? Huh. I thought she was on side after Shepard busted up Cerberus' party for her on Omega? What makes you think she's behind any of this? What's in it for her?" the Admiral says.

"Well yea... but..." Ashley says, aware she can't stall for long.

"What?"

"Councillor Tevos..."

"Tevos?"

"Yea, well, she and Aria..."

"Are you gonna start making some sense, Williams?" the Admiral says, frustrated his usually reliable Lieutenant Commander is being so evasive.

Ashley sighs and puts her head in a hand.

"Well?" he prompts again.

Her hand drops open to explain.

"Liara found out about Tevos' involvement in continuing to suppress knowledge of the Thessian beacon and blamed her for the galaxy not being prepared enough for the Reapers, and ultimately, Shepard's death..."

"I see..." the Admiral says, a little taken aback at this dark turn for Liara, who he has the utmost respect for.

"I agreed to her... mmm... 'resolving her issues' with the Councillor."

"I see!" he says, now with some annoyance that his officer was involved in such activity. As a Spectre, Tevos was still technically Ashley's superior, regardless of the state of the Council.

"Yea..."

"So what's all this to do with Aria T'Loak?"

"Well..."

"Williams."

"Aria and Tevos are, or were, sisters."

"They're...? Lieutenant Commander?"

"You know what Liara was, sir."

"I'm aware of the underworld, LC. But Doctor T'Soni? Call me old fashioned but she seemed like such a nice girl."

"She is, sir!" Ashley instinctively defends, then a little more considered, "Just... a little troubled."

The Admiral raises his eyebrows a little.

"Hm. Her _and_ the Commander, eh?"

"Yea..." she says, unsure if she has revealed too much or if he actually has read between the lines.

"Okay, I've kept my nose out so far but I know you and Shepard had issues. If two of my top operatives can't get along, I need to know about it. Personal or not, Williams."

"No! It's not like that! Admiral. Sir."

"Then what is it like? Lieutenant Commander."

"Once the relays dimmed, we had to assume the worst for Shepard, for the fleet. We'd been dodging Reapers for years, sir, planting the beacons. Liara..." Ashley pauses.

"Yes?"

"Well you saw her after the SR-1."

"Hm."

"After thirty years of just basically living out our lives between sites, what with the travel times and all... I dunno..."

"Did something happen?" he quizzes, Ashley still not coherently explaining herself.

"Hm. You could say that."

"Williams..."

"Sorry, sir. This isn't easy for me. Well basically, something happened that made me realise, I love Liara! And we... well we were a couple, sir." she says, as though as it is as surprising to her as it is to anyone else.

"Oh..."

"Yea..."

The Admiral leans on the desk on his palms with a frustrated sigh.

"But the Commander..." he begins.

"Thirty years, sir. It wasn't like we just jumped into the bed the moment Shepard was gone. We thought she was long dead, sir."

"I'm afraid to ask but..."

"No, Shepard turning up did not go well, sir."

"Not just that, LC. You just said, you 'love' her."

Ashley sniffs up deep.

"Liara's with Shepard, end of."

"But not quite the end for you?"

"I've already said, with all that's going on with Li, it's been hard, but I'm coping."

"Really?" he asks, knowing the true answer.

"No..." she whimpers, then sobs.

* * *

"So?" the gruff voice asks as they sit in the darkest available booth of a bar.

"I've got the ball rolling." Aria replies. "With Williams back, it's only a matter of time until the whole glee club arrives."

"Between Shepard and your asari friend, I had a whole heap of shit. Shit that only comes off with the right kind of remedy."

"Don't worry, Williams is already spooked. They're easy to get to, they all _care _about each other _so_ much. And the lamb's naïve, thinks I'm a nice person underneath. Her mistake."

"And our other friend?"

"Hm. Nothing yet. Not on the official records anyway. If he is in the fleet, he can't hide for ever."

"You have."

"That's because I'm not in the fleet. Anyway, this is the brave new world. The Citadel doesn't run shit except this raggedy-ass bunch of buckets. And the Alliance? They've brought us nothing but strife."

"Woah, what are you saying?"

"The colonists turned up, skirting our territories, taking our resources, complaining when we defended ourselves, then Shepard rolls in bringing trouble, the Alliance and their bastard child Cerberus and what they did to... Omega. The Alliance came to our table then didn't like the rules! Tough shit! Maybe it's about time the seat of power for the galaxy lay elsewhere..."

"Shit, Aria, you _are_ aware that there's still Reapers out there? That's not gone away not matter what plans you think you have."

"Maybe..."

"Ugh, I don't even wanna know. What I _do_ wanna know is when I can stop looking over my damn shoulder."

"Ha! Like that'll ever happen!"

He stands.

"Keep me posted. See ya around, Queenie."

"Watch it, Vido."

He walks away with a laugh and she allows his irreverence, for now at least.

The mercenary contribution to the war effort soon became the elephant in the room for the Council, the inhabitants of the merc ships finding it difficult to change the habits of a lifetime. Shuttles to the merc ships are few and far between beyond begrudging official visits by fleet representatives as merc leaders cynically hold court, yet somehow black market goods still circulate the fleet. Murderers, drug dealers, pirates, criminals of science, they have all been pardoned, which many saw as a fresh slate rather than a fresh start.

* * *

"I thought I _was _coping until all this stuff with Li happened." Ashley says, now sitting and drinking coffee with the Admiral at the desk.

"What was your intention for Sha'li? I mean, if you're going to return to Therum."

"We'd discussed it. I'd have preferred it if she'd stayed with the fleet for her safety but now? I don't think I want her out of my sight. Has there been any movement on the Normandy, sir? Are we going to get support out?"

"That's with the politicians. Right now, we can only wait."

"I get the feeling that could go either way."

The door opens and a well turned out grey haired woman enters.

"Admiral." she nods.

"Councillor." he returns the nod.

"Lieutenant Commander Williams. Councillor Blake, we have yet to meet." she offers her hand.

"Oh we've met, Councillor." Ashley replies, folding her arms.

"Really?"

"Shepard? The Citadel? Helping you with the mercs you were er... having trouble with?"

"Oh. Yes. Of course. A period of my history I'd rather hoped we could all forget."

"I'll bet. And how did your work on Omega go? You still in touch with Aria?"

"What? I'm not sure what you're implying but, I can assure you, my interests lie only with the fleet and humanity now. I'm here to discuss the Normandy and the current situation with your daughter, Sha'li."

"This is a duly elected representative for the fleet and Earth, Lieutenant Commander." the Admiral tries to defend the Councillor but aware that Ashley's concerns could well be valid.

"I can't be certain, Admiral. But where Sha'li is concerned, I can't risk trusting her."

"So what now?" Hackett asks with frustration.

"Ideally, we get the support we need for the Normandy then me and Sha'li get the hell out of here."

"Whether you trust me or not, Commander, I can still make that happen. The asari will need assurances about Sha'li but as the Admiral and I have discussed, no hearing will split you." Councillor Blake tries to assure her.

"Then make it happen. In the meantime, just stay away from me and my daughter."

"Lieutenant Commander! Regardless of your personal issues, please remember where you are and who you are addressing." the Admiral finally snaps.

"I understand that emotions run high where children are concerned, Admiral. I shall relay anything further through correspondence, if that will give you peace of mind, Commander."

"Yea... and the Normandy?"

"Yes?"

"Just... as quick as you can. Please."

"I am already trying my hardest, Commander. But I think I still have a few favours I can call in to speed things along."

"Thanks. Anything you can do." Ashley says genuinely.

"Good. Well. I shall take my leave. Good to meet you again, Lieutenant Commander. Admiral."

"Councillor." Ashley acknowledges and the Councillor leaves.

"How the hell...?" Ashley begins.

"An exercise in fleet diplomacy. She is a human Councillor, but also representing for the merc fleet's interests to appease them. Her past was known but it seemed that recently her work was more altruistic. You know what politics is like."

"Yea. Dirty."

"I understand your concerns but we have to just play the game for now."

"Yea. But all this sort of forces my hand now."

"Williams?"

"I'm committed to service to the Alliance, and as a Spectre to the Council."

"Yes? That's not in doubt is it?"

"But I also have my commitments to Sha'li."

"Of course. What's your point?"

"Once Shepard is with the fleet, and this business with T'Loak is resolved, I'm going to be handing in my notice."

"Williams?"

"Well with everything that's going on, I know I'm going to let someone down at some point. I can't let that be Sha'li, I just can't."

"Oh..."

"Yea... sorry, sir. I know I'm letting you down, letting Shepard down, but..."

"No, I understand."

"Sha'li has to be my priority. I want her to have a real life, get a real education, make friends her own age, fall in love, everything that a young person should look forward to."

"She could still have that. Many officers in the fleets have families."

"Maybe, but how many of them are field operatives? But I'd be away all the time, and there's the bad days, like Eden Prime. Usually, I'd have the squad to work through it because they understand; they've been through that kind of hell too. But I can't come home and dump all that on her. It wouldn't be fair."

"You'd still have friends to talk things through..." he offers and her concerned face softens a little.

"Thanks, sir. Really. But... I can't risk letting her down. She's been through enough already."

"The fleet would miss you."

"I'll still be around, I'm sure. You can come visit Sha'li any time you like."

"Hm. I'd like that. It was nice when you were aboard and we'd have morning coffee, Sha'li pottering around the place."

"Yup, you won't get rid of us that easy. And... sir?"

"Yes?"

"You called me 'Ashley' the other day?"

"Hm. I suppose I did. I hope that wasn't..."

"No! You'd better get used to it because when I'm demobbed, that'll be my name."

"Hm." he chuckles, "then you'd better get used to calling me 'Steve'!"

"We're still a way off that yet, sir, but yea, I'd like that."


	31. Chapter 31

Arriving with a pair of armed escorts this time, Ashley and Sha'li have been summoned to a further session regarding guardianship.

"What were your reasons for taking Sha'li aboard the Normandy, Lieutenant Commander?" the asari representative asks.

"To make sure she was alright."

"You could have had that assurance from the captain of the Disciple."

"I mean, that she was going to be alright in the future too. I wanted to take care of her."

"Do you not think that odd?"

"What? I'd known Sha'li for years. We'd saved her from the abandoned asari craft after it was attacked by slavers, then we saved her aunt and other families. I'd come to know the Cha'se family, and Sha'li and me had become quite close. We met back up on the Citadel after she lost her parents on Illium. She'd been through so much, I think I knew then I wanted to take care of her."

"Hm. Is it true that you are attracted to asari, Lieutenant Commander?"

"I... I'm not sure what you mean." Ashley answers, already feeling her face redden.

"Is it true?"

"Well, no! Not _all_ asari..."

"Just _some _asari then? The ones close to you. The ones under your authority. Like Doctor T'Soni? I believe you had relations with Doctor T'Soni?"

"Well... yes! How do you know...? What the hell are you saying?!" Ashley shouts, unable to contain her rage at this thinly veiled accusation and burning that her secret had been exposed so.

"Chairman, please. Are you going to allow this to continue?" Helena Blake says as she stands in the gallery.

"Thank you for pre-empting my actions, Councillor." the Matriarch says patronisingly. "There has been no complaint or evidence of the sordid activities that the representative implies. We are here only to discuss guardianship. You will desist from this line of enquiry."

"Matriarch..." the representative begins.

"Really, Matriarch Lucilia, how much longer must this farce continue?" the Councillor now speaks on, "It is clear that the Lieutenant Commander had, and still has the best of intentions, and that Sha'li is well cared for. The ferocity of the family's assertions during these hearings only serves to confirm that their ties are genuine."

"Hm." is all the Matriarch replies but with genuine consideration for the Councillor's words. "We shall recess until this afternoon's session. Councillor Blake, Lieutenant Commander Williams, would you approach, please."

The Matriarch allows the room to empty, Ashley indicates to her escorts to wait outside. All but Sha'li have gone, then Lucilia speaks frankly.

"Now. I don't like outbursts in the room when I'm presiding, Councillor, but we all know _something_ is going on here, beyond a simple custody hearing. I don't know what, maybe you do, I don't know, I'm not sure I want to know. What I do know is that I was asked to preside over this hearing but so far, I've no idea why I'm here, nor why the representative is acting like a wild varren. Social services departments should have dealt with this in an afternoon if any queries were raised. Which, I might add, I have yet to see. So I'm asking now, do either of you have anything else that I should know?"

Ashley opens her mouth to speak when Councillor Blake puts her arm out in front of her and speaks for her.

"No. We don't."

Ashley puzzles at the Councillor suspiciously, as does the Matriarch.

"As you will." Lucilia concedes as she stands, "I'll see you this afternoon. Ladies."

Waiting for the Matriarch to leave, Ashley turns to the Councillor.

"What was...?"

"She needn't know what we know. We've no idea how deep this might go."

"Huh... you took the words right out of my mouth." Ashley says, standing in a guarded stance.

"Really, Commander. I'm not the enemy here."

"You really think I'm going to risk that?"

"I don't suppose there's a lot I can do to change your view."

"No, I don't suppose there is."

"Well I don't know about you, but I'm not encouraged by what the Matriarch said."

"What do you mean?"

"She's quite right. This should never have come to such proceedings. Someone with influence beyond T'Loak has evidently had a hand in all this."

"And how the hell did they get information on me and Liara?"

"Then you understand my concern. Well I can only hope that my support in all this will indicate by action my intentions. Perhaps the Matriarch has been spurred on to a speedy resolution. I'll hope for the best and see you this afternoon, Lieutenant Commander."

"Hm. Yes." Ashley replies, conflicted by this woman.

Her words seem genuine, she acts as though genuine, but Ashley still cannot trust her. Were Blake's assistance successful in ending this charade, and gaining the support needed to get her friends home, would that be enough? Ashley is not sure. She would be prime candidate as mole to pass information on to Aria's operatives. Ashley goes to the doors to check in with their escorts then sits with Sha'li.

"What was that lady asking you about Liara?"

"I am so angry at that!" Ashley says, but thankful that the implied accusation had gone over Sha'li's young head.

"What?"

"She was saying that I treated you like my slave or something..." Ashley says, trying to keep the blunt reality away from her daughter.

"Haha, that's silly. That's exactly what you saved us from!"

"Yea," Ashley says, putting an arm around Sha'li, "She's silly."

* * *

Adrenaline. Fight or flight. The banging in the chest as the heart increases its rate and the zinging in the stomach as the blood rushes away to areas more needing, all designed to give the primitive form the resources and alertness it needs for survival. Just the thought of a survival scenario can be enough for the body to excrete some of its powerful hormone.

Miranda sits on a crate after a session on the range, letting the hormone dissipate from her body, still breathing quickly, trying to relax her eyes but they still want to wander, focus and assess. She hates it. She wonders if she could cope at all when the adrenaline was fuelling her for a purpose. Miranda has a mind able to visualize a little too well. When she runs the through techniques she has been shown to defend herself, the only thing on her mind is the attacker's intent. Her instinct would be to try to diffuse such a situation but she knows this is not an option in the scenarios she might be facing. Regardless of their great minds and genetic enhancements, Miranda and her sister remained as young girls for decades due to their isolation.

Samara enters the area wearing her armour and initially doesn't see Miranda sitting to the side.

"Oh! Miranda. You startled me."

"Sorry, Sam. Was just, you know, chilling after a session."

"How goes your training?"

"Okay, I reckon. Well my biotics are okay and Garrus has been showing around the omni-tool to overload enemy tech, all that side of things is fine, just a matter of practice and time."

"But...?"

"Yea, but!"

"You have doubts." Samara says and she pops herself up onto the crate next to Miranda to sit.

"I dunno. I'm not really sure I considered this in its entirety when I offered my help. Sorry, don't get me wrong, I still want to help, it's just... when I think about it, and what I might be asked to do..."

"Yes?" Samara coaxes.

"I'm frightened, Sam." Miranda says with wide eyes.

"That is understandable and let me assure you, quite normal."

"I haven't been without my sister for decades. I'm really missing her, and pottering around our labs. I think I'm just feeling... disjointed. Or something. You know what I mean?"

"I know that breaking from the familiar can be difficult and as you say, disjointing. And as for our work, it is the fear of death that will keep you alive."

"Hm. I'll presume that was supposed to be motivational."

"Hm." Samara laughs gently.

"What about you? You okay, Sam?"

"Given the time I have had here to reflect, I will admit a certain inner peace. Thank you for speaking with Liara that day."

"Oh. Well good. Anyway, you down here for a reason?"

"Yes. It has been some time since I practised. A Justicar should always be in top condition and prepared." she replies as she jumps back down to the floor.

"Isn't all that Justicar business over now?"

"Perhaps. But as we speak, the future is unknown."

"Perhaps?"

"Perhaps." she replies enigmatically, then goes to the firing line and readies her weapon.

"Hm." Miranda lets her leave it that.

Samara commences practising each of her techniques between weapons fire, Miranda just sitting and watching. Miranda doesn't know specifically which scenarios Samara is running in her mind but she occasionally leaps forward to a target with flashing biotic assistance, dispatches of it with another devastating technique then leaps backwards again to the firing line to continue the barrage of biotics, explosions and weapons fire.

The intensity on Samara's face disturbs Miranda a little, the darkness. She doesn't like this look on her friend. Miranda ponders that this is where Samara releases her demons and frustrations. She also finds herself pondering the fine forms that Samara's beautiful body makes when she throws out her biotic attacks, each movement considered and elegant. Something else that Miranda is still quite nervous about after years of isolation.

Samara becomes aware of her audience. A spectator. She used to love the roar of the crowd when she'd pull off an audacious move in a skyball match to score, even some showboating after the point. It is centuries since she felt like that. With an audience now, Samara finds herself exaggerating her throws, her attacks becoming more like interpretive dance. Miranda laughs and claps.

"You go, Sam!" she shouts out.

Sam. So much more personable than Samara, so Samara thinks, as much as she likes her name. It's like her new personality. Not the brooding Justicar, driven only by an ancient brutal Code, just Sam. Would she re-enact the old rites and begin again the band of lone protectors? Perhaps. But there would be no brutality. That part of the Code lies in the past, in a different age. In the inclusive galaxy that may beckon from the future, dark corners will still lie, but they need not be fumigated without prejudice like the old ways. Anaya was right in that. Dearest Anaya.


	32. Chapter 32

The hearing room now filled, everyone awaits the Matriarch to arrive to resume proceedings. While the Matriarch seems to be led by common sense, the outcomes still remain unknown. Ashley feels the sickening feeling in her stomach at the thought of the worst. Matriarch Lucilia enters through the chamber door and seats herself, arranges her area then clears her throat to make her readiness known. The asari representative who has been grilling the Williams' attempts to speak but is waved away by the Matriarch who then speaks to the room.

"Throughout this hearing, I have heard little to nothing suggesting that any ill-will was meant by the Lieutenant Commander. The most that can be said, is that the correct channels were not used and no paperwork of guardianship completed. In the circumstances of the war and the Lieutenant Commander's subsequent inability to contact the fleet, this is understandable. To rectify this, Commander, you will report to the asari consulate to officially register your adoption of Sha'li Cha'se, who may then be officially known as Sha'li Williams."

"But Matriarch Lucilia..." the asari representative protests.

"Yes, Fenutia?" the Matriarch replies sternly.

"I still have further questions, Matriarch."

"Relating to...?" the Matriarch replies patronisingly.

"Oh. Well. Errr..." Fenutia rifles through her datapads looking for something pertinent to use.

"If you cannot remember, representative, then I doubt its value."

"Yes, Matriarch." Fenutia concedes, then sits, evidently quite deflated by her failure.

"Good. Then this hearing is concluded."

Councillor Blake allows the room to empty somewhat before speaking with Ashley.

"Well. That seemed to go okay." she smiles, "Matriarch Lucilia is one of the good ones. I trust her word."

"Hm." Ashley responds, uncommitted.

"But you still don't trust mine." Helena says frankly.

"Hm." the sound is neither positive nor negative.

"Well we've got positive progress on getting support out to Therum. I do have to say, Commander, the resources to get the Normandy up and running again? Re-installing EDI? That was _not _easy to secure. Regardless of your opinion of me, I hope you appreciate the sacrifices the fleet is making to ensure the return of their golden team. Then of course, there's Commander Shepard."

"What about her?"

"She stole fleet resources, that's not something that can just be brushed under the carpet."

"What then?"

"There'll be questions, no doubt a hearing with the Council to discuss the matter with her. The Alliance has done its best to cover for her, that she needed to get things done and fast, but questions are still hanging."

"What kind of questions?" Ashley asks, annoyed that her Commander has questions over her.

"What are the Commander's intentions in the long run? Where do her allegiances lie?"

"Ugh, this again? After she handed herself in for Bahak, I thought all that was resolved?"

"That was then. For most species, this is a new generation who never experienced the war or the Reapers or realise exactly how much the Commander has saved our collective asses thus far. For them, this is just how it is; the fleet and the Reapers like some kind of bogeyman out there. Most hadn't even seen a Reaper until Shepard brought some back with her."

"She didn't bring..."

"I know. Tell that to the crazed media and political protagonists out there, they won't listen."

"They _blame_ her?!"

"Things are different now, Commander. Any good will or unity that Shepard created for the effort, most of that's gone."

"But... I mean I'd seen the idiots in the corridors but... are things really that bad?"

"Bad enough, Commander. When the politicians themselves get involved in that kind of activity, it can't end well."

"No..." Ashley replies, already distant as she thinks of everything they worked for being thrown away so casually.

"So!" Blake exclaims.

"Hm?"

"You'd better get yourselves down to the asari consulate, if you want to get to Therum without any further problems."

"Yea. C'mon, Li. And er... thanks for your support, Councillor."

"My pleasure, Commander." Helena says with pride.

"So I'm coming to Therum with you?!" Sha'li asks excitedly as she rushes to wraps her arms around her mother.

"Yea, I suppose you can come then." Ashley playfully concedes.

"Thanks, mum!"

* * *

Regaling in the tale of the lone naked Justicar, defending herself from leering mercenaries, Samara's uncharacteristic but animated storytelling fills Liara and Miranda with laughter. Liara had swiped a bottle of nondescript alcohol from Donnelly's supplies and the three have been chatting and listening to music, the drink beginning to loosen sensibilities and tongues a little.

"I can't believe how many tracks you have here! We'd listened to those same few tunes a million times on that facility. Almost nothing you could dance to." Miranda says, browsing the lists.

"I used to really enjoy dancing." Samara wistfully says.

"You used to dance?" Miranda says with some surprise, "Actually, I should have known after your performance the other day."

"Quite." Samara says, a little embarrassed, then continues, "But in my maiden days, I would dance long into the night at many a disreputable establishment, sometimes to work, sometimes just for the exhilaration."

"Sounds like you enjoyed it."

"No responsibilities, just me and the galaxy. Of course, mother would nag." Samara says with a smirk.

"Mothers!" Liara agrees.

"I'm not entirely sure if I actually had one." Miranda ponders.

"Oh. We're sorry, Miranda."

"No, no. Don't worry. I was just wondering."

"Well you didn't missing out on much." Liara says.

"You joke, but our mothers, having been one too, they only wish for the best for their children."

"I know..." Liara says a little more sorrowfully.

"Anyway! Another round. You and I have moped enough." Samara says, topping up everyone's glass.

"So this dancing you were talking about, Sam..." Miranda begins.

"Oh I think Liara is the one to speak to about dancing." Samara grins.

"Thanks, 'Sam'." Liara replies, "I wasn't even doing the stupid maiden wanton abandon thing!"

"Stupid? A little harsh." Samara pouts.

"You know what I mean, Samara. Dad was certainly right about that."

"What?"

"That too many asari waste their maiden days dancing and joining merc groups, living the high life, getting themselves into trouble, when there's so much still to be done in the galaxy."

"Not all are as fortunate as you, Liara."

"What do you mean?"

"The maiden years of filled with unrest, hence why so many live chaotic lifestyles."

"So?"

"And what were you doing in the first days of your maiden stage, hmm, Liara?"

"Hm."

"Death, destruction, intrigue, strange new worlds, strange new species. Mating with strange new species..." she says knowingly.

"Samara!"

"What part is to be ashamed of?" Samara says, "Little more excitement could have been found anywhere in the galaxy for a young maiden."

"Hm... I'd never really thought of it like that. It was exciting though." Liara admits naughtily, then a little more coyly, "All of it."

"You know what?" Miranda now announces, "I'm starting to get really pissed of with my dad now."

"How so?" Samara asks.

"Seems that all I've done with my life so far is pointlessly sit on my arse at that bloody station while the rest of the galaxy had a ball! I'm sixty odd years old and..." Miranda stops herself then more considered, "There's so much I haven't experienced."

There is a look between the two asari at what they presume she meant; it's not Miranda's fault she was abandoned so young with only her sister for company.

"Well when we get back to the fleet, we'll find you someone nice to take you dancing." Liara says.

"Hm." Miranda says, unconvinced.

"What?"

"I'm not sure I like the idea of being set up with someone I don't know."

"Well we could just go out and see what's about?"

"This all sounds pretty desperate... To be honest, I'm not sure what I want. Anyway! Who just said about moping?"

"There you are!" Verity says as she enters, "I've been looking all over."

"Verity!" Liara gleefully shouts out.

"How long have you guys...?" Verity says, seeing the half empty bottle and Liara's animated greeting.

"Only what's there," Miranda replies, "but it's quite strong, whatever the hell it is."

Verity sits and Liara bounces straight onto her knee with a dozy smile.

"Hellooooooo." she says right in Verity's face.

"Ugh." is as much as Verity responds, then to Samara and Miranda, "You do realise I'm the one who has to deal with this later?"

"Have you come to take me home, my strange new species?" Liara asks, then plants a big smacking kiss on a bemused Verity's cheek followed by a laugh.

"That's probably not a bad idea..."

Verity upturns Liara back onto the couch, then stands to attempt to carry her.

"I can stand!" Liara protests.

"So?"

"Okay then!" she brightly says, now holding her arms out and allowing it.

"See you later, guys." Verity says, carrying Liara out of the door.

"'bye, girls!" Liara waves over Verity's shoulder.

"Spoilsport! Where's your solidarity?" Miranda shouts after her, then turns to Samara with a smile at her own jibe.

Samara returns the smile.

"So..." Miranda says.

"Yes..." Samara replies.

"Another drink?" Miranda says, if only to break the awkwardness.

"I think I have had enough for today."

"Yea. You're probably right. I could do with a bit of kip, to be honest."

Miranda stands with a stretch.

"Was nice to just sit and chat. Thanks, Samara." Miranda says.

"Oh?"

"What?"

"'Samara'?"

"Oh. Well, I'd noticed that all the guys call you Samara with like respect, like it's your title or something."

"Hm." Samara responds coyly.

"And here I'd been calling you 'Sam'. I mean I know Verity calls you Sam, but you two seem to have a history. Did you and she used to... you know?"

"Verity and I?" Samara exclaims.

"Yea."

"No!"

"Oh. I read that wrong then. Just... when you came to our facility, you and Verity seemed close somehow."

"We have known each other for some years now and bonded in battle. She helped me with... some difficult parts of my life. I cannot thank her enough for that. But yes, we have become closer over the years, though only as friends. Though Verity does not... she has..."

"What?"

"Verity has found she can only relate to asari. In that way."

"So I wasn't that far off the mark then. And I can see where she's coming form. So what _does_ Samara do when she's not saving the galaxy?"

"I... I do not yet know. I have found it in myself to hope that I may again be mother to my daughter one day."

"Sorry, Samara. I don't mean to..."

"No, that is okay. And Sam is fine! It matters not. Really. Whatever makes you comfortable."

"And what about this Anaya? You plan to...?"

"Hm." Samara simply but positively answers with a concern on her brow.

"Hm." Miranda responds, failing to mask her disappointment, "Well see you later, 'Sam'."

"Goodbye, Miranda."

Samara chuckles to herself a little. She cannot fathom how humans, salarians, or most other species for that matter are able to become such rich characters in the short span of their lifetimes. Despite the centuries she has lived for now, Samara feels no wiser about matters of love and affection yet some of these young species seem greater at ease than she. After Miranda's comments, Samara ponders herself now how much she was joking that night on the Lawson's facility. Samara sits back into her chair, enjoying the warm, comforting glow over herself from the drink. Amidst her contemplations over her time here, Samara has allowed the young voice that she thought long dead to speak again, the one that lived before her daughters' plight was known. Samara even likes herself, and found it in herself to let that voice long silent forgive her darker times. She feels she cannot be a mother to Falere and carry the weight of that guilt, assuming she has lived. Samara's eyelids begin to feel heavy and she lets them shut, allows herself to relax. For centuries, she has never truly slept well, always ready for the fight, one eye open, alert to the smallest of sounds. In this place, with these people, Samara just nods off. No pistol to hand, no mods for her biotics, just peace.


End file.
